From Hopping Buses to Finding Stability- Francis George’s Story

Francis George, the second-born in his family, graduated from Government Technical College (GTC) Epe, with solid skills in electrical engineering, specializing in domestic installations. He was good at what he did, the technical training gave him that.

But after being trained, Francis found himself living a reality familiar to thousands of young Nigerian artisans: never knowing where the next paycheck would come from.

"Life was jumping from bus to bus, chasing the next gig," Francis recalls. No stability. No certainty. Just hustle after hustle. Then OPL Academy came to his school, and something shifted." They gave me hope of getting a job after school," he says. But it wasn't just hope, OPL taught him something he'd never encountered before: professional skills, including emotional intelligence.

"The way they explained emotional intelligence made me really interested in managing my emotions and other people's emotions," Francis shares. "Especially how to talk to clients and team members, even difficult people in the workplace. Emotional intelligence was something I never heard about before."

For someone whose work depends entirely on client relationships and team coordination, this was transformative. Francis learned to communicate properly, manage workplace dynamics, and present himself professionally, skills that would prove just as valuable as his technical training. These skills are now very useful in Francis’s current workplace. .

Francis missed an email from OPL Academy about a job opportunity. Then his phone rang.

"I missed the mail but got the call from OPL Academy's recruitment team," he remembers. "I'm really grateful for that call, it changed everything."

That single call led him to Oritech Nigeria Ltd, where Francis now works as an electrical installations specialist. But the job offered more than just steady income, it also offered accommodation, finally saving him from constant transportation bills and endless bus rides.

"I’m grateful for the accommodation I have from Oritech," Francis says with genuine relief. "I don't have to jump from bus to bus anymore, and I'm well paid."

The transformation is profound. Today, Francis has a meaningful opportunity at a company that provides housing, teammates who respect him, and skills that help him navigate difficult situations with confidence, both technical and interpersonal.

"My hope for the future was quite bleak before OPL, but I'm glad OPL Academy brought me this opportunity."

His advice to aspiring students? Simple and direct: "Trust the process. Be committed."

Our goal at OPL Academy will always be to ensure that artisans like Francis get access to the training and opportunities they truly deserve.