Stephen Harry's Journey from Training to Employment

Stephen Harry grew up watching his mother trade and his father serve as an evangelist in Lagos. As the fourth of six children, he learned early that opportunity doesn't come easy. After completing his technical training at GTC Ikotun, Stephen had the skills but kept hitting walls. Employers wanted more than technical ability, they wanted professional presence, and at 17, he didn't know how to show it.

When OPL Academy came to his school, Stephen saw a lifeline. Through the training, he gained what had been missing: emotional intelligence, professional communication, time management, and workplace etiquette.

"Controlling my emotions, knowing when and where to use them; that's something I didn't know before," Stephen reflects. "Now I apply emotional intelligence in everything I do."

But knowledge didn't erase his biggest obstacle: his age. Rejection after rejection came because he was "too young." Companies wanted someone with more experience. The "nos" piled up, and Stephen was on the verge of giving up.

Then came the call.

Stephen got an opportunity at United Technical and Allied Services Ltd (UTAS), a leading provider of innovative industrial solutions and equipment in Nigeria. They offered him a one-year paid training program where he could earn while learning.

"I was almost ready to give up, but then I got this opportunity," Stephen says.

The senior staff at UTAS embraced him completely. "Everyone is always ready to teach and talk," he shares. "I do a lot of practicals where I learn more things every single day."

The transformation has been remarkable. Before OPL Academy, Stephen was a 17-year-old facing closed doors because of his age. Today, he's a valued team member at a respected company, earning an income while building expertise for his future.

When he told his family, their excitement said everything. His mother who'd hustled as a trader, his father who'd prayed over every application, his siblings who'd watched him face rejection.

Stephen's advice to others considering OPL Academy is simple: "If you're thinking about it, you're wasting time thinking too much. We don’t waste time at OPL Academy, Just join. It will change your life."

At 17, Stephen learned that professional readiness matters as much as technical ability. Stephen is living proof that the right training at the right time can change everything.