FUTURE READY: EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION
FUTURE READY: EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION (Equipping Undergraduates and Fresh Graduates with Skills, Opportunities, and Innovation for a Transformative Future)
A. Project Overview
“Future Ready: Empowering the Next Generation” is an annual flagship youth empowerment initiative of the Prince Technology and Community Development Foundation, designed to equip Nigerian undergraduates and fresh graduates with leadership acumen, practical entrepreneurship skills, mentorship, and mindset re-engineering that foster long-term economic independence, innovative thinking, and purpose-driven living.
Since its inception at Federal Polytechnic, Oko in 2013, the programme has impacted over 7,000 undergraduates and fresh graduates in Nigeria. Our goal is not just skill acquisition, but mindset transformation, to inspire the next generation of Nigerian leaders to rise beyond societal limitations and become the architects of Africa’s greatness.
B. Main Objective To be a catalyst for nurturing emerging young Nigerian leaders by equipping them with:
- Transformative leadership skills
- Life-changing professional development
- Strategic mentorship
- Access to cutting-edge information and ideas
The goal is to provoke innovative thinking, ignite action, and spark self-belief to help youth break boundaries and achieve remarkable feats in entrepreneurship, technology, and nation-building; becoming ambassadors of change in their generation.
C. Vision Statement Alignment In full commitment to our vision, we aim to build a resilient and visionary workforce of Nigerian youth who will:
- Master opinion by burning out self-doubt and igniting confidence
- Reach out to claim the future for Africa through innovation
- Make “Africa Rising” not a distant dream, but a present-day reality
D. Motivation behind the Project
In a nation where 1 out of every 4 Africans is a Nigerian, and 1 in every 8 black persons globally is Nigerian, our challenge is not the lack of numbers but the lack of empowered minds. For too long, Nigerians have sought solutions abroad, when the answers lie within. Historically, our ancestors survived not because of formal education, but because of resilience, innovation, and self-reliance. To truly tackle unemployment, we must go back to the basics; fostering a culture of creativity, practical skill development, and entrepreneurial thinking among youths.
E. Impact Summary (2013 – Date)
- 5,000+ undergraduates and fresh graduates empowered across Nigeria
- Over 200 successful entrepreneurs have emerged from our programs
- Skills taught include:
- Candle Production
- Beaded Bag & Purse Making
- Leather Works (Sandals/Slippers)
- Cake Baking & Confectionery
- Tie and Dye
- Basic Electronic Designs
- CCTV Installation
- Block Laying & Interlocking
- Car Wash Solutions
- Tea, Beverages
- Bead Flower Vase Crafting
- Power Amplifier Assembly
These practical skills have helped beneficiaries become self-reliant, job creators, and contributors to the economy rather than dependents.
F. Future Plan (2025 – 2030) To sustain and scale the Future Ready initiative, we plan to:
- Launch the Future Ready Digital Academy; an online learning platform offering courses in tech, leadership, and entrepreneurship.
- Collaborate with private sector partners to provide seed funding and incubation for top-performing participants.
- Integrate Artificial Intelligence and Smart Tech training to prepare youth for the future of work.
- Develop a Future Ready Ambassadors Network, selecting outstanding alumni to mentor new cohorts.
- Partner with government institutions, NYSC, and universities to mainstream empowerment in academic and post-academic stages.
- Introduce Mobile Empowerment Clinics to reach remote and underserved areas.
G. Primary Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed by the Project
SDG 1 – No Poverty
The initiative empowers marginalized and underserved youth with income-generating vocational and entrepreneurial skills, helping them break free from the poverty cycle and become economically independent.
SDG 4 – Quality Education
Through inclusive, practical, and lifelong learning modules—including digital literacy, vocational training, and leadership development—the program enhances access to quality, non-formal education that is relevant to the evolving job market.
SDG 5 – Gender Equality
The project actively targets and includes women and girls, ensuring equitable participation in all training programs and increasing their access to economic opportunities and decision-making roles.
SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth
By nurturing entrepreneurship, promoting job creation, and incubating small enterprises, the program directly contributes to reducing youth unemployment and stimulating local economies.
SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
It fosters a culture of innovation and technical skill development by training artisans and young professionals, building grassroots capacity for local manufacturing, technology application, and enterprise solutions.
SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
Future Ready strategically focuses on inclusion by empowering underrepresented groups—such as youth from rural communities, women, and persons with disabilities—thus promoting social and economic equity.
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
The project thrives on multi-stakeholder collaboration, engaging governments, NGOs, academic institutions, CSR units, and international donors to scale its impact nationwide and sustainably.
H. Conclusion
Future Ready: Empowering the Next Generation is not just a programme, it is a movement. A movement committed to rewriting the African narrative by equipping Nigerian youths with the power of skills, ideas, and self-leadership. Through our work, we are planting the seed of hope in a land that longs for transformation, and raising a generation that refuses to be defined by limitations, but by possibilities.
