The Country Chief Executive Officer of APM Terminals Nigeria, Frederik Klinke has encouraged secondary school students to take an interest in the maritime sector to build rewarding careers in the sector.
Klinke stated this during the “Blue Talents School-to-Sea Programme” organised by Ocean Ambassadors Foundation (OAF) and APM Terminals Apapa to mark the 2024 Children’s Day.
Klinke said the industry offers exciting career opportunities for the future generation while encouraging students to embrace hard work and diligence.
He stated that the terminal hosted the career summit as its contribution to grooming the next generation of maritime professionals who would run the sector efficiently, ensuring its contribution to the national economy.
On her part, the President of Ocean Ambassadors Foundation (OAF), Olaitan Williams, appreciated the terminal for the partnership, hospitality and facility provided for the seminar.
She said Nigeria is endowed with a long coastline that can create millions of jobs for the students, noting that they must discover where they fit in.
One of the speakers, who is a logistics expert, Dr Ibrahim Adepoju, educated the students on the Cabotage Act and the Local Content Act, which he said opens up huge career and investment opportunities for Nigerians.
He said there are many areas the students can venture into in the maritime industry, which include maritime law, marine engineering, accounting, insurance and many others.
Another speaker, who is the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of MitiMeth, Achenyo Idachaba-Obaro, educated the students on how to produce dining wares, art decor, stationery, gifts and fashion accessories from harvested water hyacinth.
She said water hyacinths, which are seen as waste and a challenge to navigation on inland waterways, are being transformed into beautiful artifacts, creating massive job opportunities in communities.