Etisalat, in continuation of its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the society, Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, organized a Career Counseling session for secondary schools students.
The schools include Ilado Community Secondary School, Wahab Folawiyo High School, Government Senior College, Ikoyi; Government Senior College, Maroko and Akande Dahunsi Senior High School, Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The career counseling scheme is being executed under the auspices of Etisalat Nigeria’s Employee Volunteer Program. The beneficiary school, Akande Dahunsi High School, is one of the schools the telecoms company adopted under the Adopt-A-School Initiative of the Lagos State Government.
At the counselling session, students were exposed to detailed information required to guide their decision and career paths in Law, Marketing and Information Technology by experienced Etisalat employees.
The presentations provided working definitions of the various professions and explained what the professionals who do them really do. It also detailed requirements needed to meet in order to be able to undertake the professions as course of study in higher institutions of learning. Students also learnt of the world of opportunities that studying these courses opened up to them and how they could specialise in different areas of whichever of these professions they chose to study. The presentations also touched on the various challenges associated with the professions and explained the roles of professional bodies of the professions, among other discussions.
Speaking at the occasion, Steven Evans, Etisalat CEO, said the scheme provides Etisalat’s employees the opportunity to give back to the society through impacting of their knowledge and skills.
According to him, “Through the volunteering program, Etisalat employees have an opportunity to fulfil their personal as well as the company’s corporate desire of impacting society positively. They are encouraged to volunteer their time and employ their skills in providing career counseling as well as mentorship to students of secondary schools. There is no doubt that the students certainly need appropriate guidance towards making the right and fulfilling career choices as a wrong career move may have long-term negative effects.”
The CEO noted that the career counseling program is not a one-off affair but one that is designed to run continuously. He also noted that Etisalat is implementing the scheme in partnership with the Lagos Empowerment and Resource Network (LEARN), an NGO founded by the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola.
 “Being part of the Adopt-A-School Initiative, the Career Counseling scheme is continuous and it is designed to be implemented three times yearly in Etisalat’s adopted schools,” Evans reiterated. 
The Adopt-A-School initiative is an ongoing CSR project of Etisalat Nigeria, in partnership with the Lagos State Government, committed to continually providing support in areas including but not limited to infrastructure, leadership/management and direct support for students and teacher development in adopted schools. 
Bisi Awoyemi, head, Support Our School desk officer, Office of the deputy governor who represented Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, the Lagos State First Lady in her remarks, said Etisalat in partnership with LEARN is grooming students to be socially responsible individuals by equipping them with right information to make an informed decision.
She lauded Etisalat support and charged other organizations to emulate this CSR initiative.
Otunba Ayobade Obajimi, tutor general/permanent secretary, Education District 3 applauded Etisalat and LEARN for providing an avenue for guidance and counselling to enlighten students on available career paths.
Etisalat has so far adopted three schools namely; Akande Dahunsi Memorial Secondary School in Ikoyi, Edward Blyden Primary School in Okesuna, Lagos Island and Rabiatu Thompson Primary School in Surulere. Edward Blyden and Rabiatu Thompson Primary Schools are currently being rebuilt after old structures in the school were declared unsafe for the students and were thus demolished.
Etisalat recently commissioned a CSR centre at the prestigious Lagos Business School of the Pan Africa University as a platform designed to shape CSR opinions and understanding of present and future business leaders as well as key policy and decision makers. It is estimated that the CSR Centre would be of benefit to business students as well as over 30 corporations across different sectors of the economy in its first year of operation.
The telecommunication company has also instituted a Merit Award that awards scholarships to university students with the highest CGPA in Electrical Electronics Engineering, Computer Science and Management Sciences. About 150 students have so far benefited across the country.