Fashion designer calls for shift from dependence on white-collar jobs, says skill acquisition has more advantages

A fashion designer, Okochi Akachukwu Joshua, has urged young Nigerians to rethink their strong dependence on white-collar jobs, saying the current economic situation has made vocational skills and entrepreneurship more important than ever.

Joshua, who founded Joshua Phillips Empire (JPE), shared his thoughts in a WhatsApp voice-note interview conducted by Next Africa Daily where he spoke quite passionately about unemployment and the need for young people to become more practical with their skills.

For him, the idea that everyone will survive on office jobs alone no longer fits today’s economy.

He said: “We have passed the phase where you totally rely on white-collar jobs because the economy is not smiling at anyone. It is not just about what you know, but what you can do. Whatever your hands find to do, do it well because that might be what will lift you up.”

He believes vocational skills like fashion design are often underestimated, yet they can go a long way in reducing unemployment if people take them seriously.

Ge said: "Fashion is not just a creative hustle, it is survival work. Clothing is something people will always need, and that alone makes the industry stable for anyone willing to learn it properly.

Joshua also challenged the mindset many young people have that success only comes from office work.

According to him, that belief is limiting, especially when many skilled people in vocational fields are already building steady businesses and even employing others.

He didn’t, however, frame it as a competition between office jobs and skills. Instead, he suggested that both can actually work together if properly structured.

On the issue of money and independence, he stressed something he said many young entrepreneurs ignore discipline with finances.

“Your personal money is not your business money, and your business money is not your personal money,” he said, repeating it for emphasis.

Beyond that, he pointed out that growth in business doesn’t happen randomly. It needs structure knowing what to focus on, building systems, and sometimes letting others handle parts of the work while you concentrate on what you do best.

He also used the opportunity to call on government to step in more meaningfully, especially through grants, partnerships and policies that can help small businesses survive and grow.

He noted that if entrepreneurship is properly supported, it could ease unemployment and create more opportunities for young Nigerians.