Diageo Launches Youth Empowerment Scheme in Hospitality Sector

Strategic Insights -

Diageo, in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and Celebr-8 Lyfe, has launched a youth empowerment scheme, Learning For Life (L4L), to tackle Nigeria's high youth unemployment. The scheme, which focuses on women and people with disabilities, aims to equip 250 young Nigerians with real-world skills, hands-on experience, and opportunities to build meaningful careers in the hospitality sector. The programme is designed to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, providing access to knowledge, networks, mentorship, and employment.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Learning For Life (L4L) initiative will empower 250 young Nigerians, with a special focus on women and people with disabilities, to promote inclusion and economic empowerment.
  • The programme will provide real-world skills, hands-on experience, and opportunities for young Nigerians to build meaningful careers in the hospitality sector.
  • The L4L curriculum includes key modules such as business essentials, bar skills, teamwork, budgeting, and confidence building, as well as training on social issues like gender and disability inclusion, sexual harassment prevention, and responsible drinking.
  • Successful participants will be offered full-time roles upon completion of the programme, and all trainees will receive transport stipends and post-programme support via the Diageo Bar Academy platform.
  • The partnership between Diageo, LSETF, and Celebr-8 Lyfe is a model of effective public-private collaboration for social impact, aligning with the Lagos state government's agenda centered on education, youth empowerment, and social inclusion.
  • The initiative has been launched in Nigeria, expanding the reach and impact of the programme that has been launched in Angola, Ethiopia, and Cameroon.

Statistics:

  • 250 young Nigerians will be empowered through the Learning For Life initiative.
  • The programme will have a total of 3,060 hours of training, broken down into a 1-week classroom and online training phase, followed by an 11-week internship in top Lagos hospitality businesses.
  • The internship will take place from September 1 to November 17, 2023.
  • Applications for the first cohort will open on July 14 and close on July 28, 2023.
  • The programme aims to equip young Nigerians with relevant and collaborative skills, facilitating meaningful job placement.

Sources:

  • Christiana Amene, "Diageo rolls out youth empowerment scheme in Lagos",

The Guardian, July 2023

  • Favour Nnabugwu, "Diageo partners Lagos to train youths", Vanguard Newspaper, July 2023
  • Gbenga Segun, "Lagos to sponsor 250 additional beneficiaries under Diageo's youth empowerment scheme", Premium Times, July 2023