Each year in Nigeria over 200,000 students graduate from universities and according to National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Abuja as reported by the Nigerian Minister of Finance in April, 2014, the minister said that no fewer than 5.3 million youths are jobless in the country (Nigeria), while 1.8 million graduates enter the labor market every year. [Source: uzochukwumike.hubpages.com/hub]

In view of this disturbing figures, one can safely say that over a million if not all the graduates in Nigeria leave the university with the hope that there is a job waiting for him after university.

I have come to notice that many students in the university have this mindset that they will work in a good and reputable company (usually oil and Telecom) when they leave school.

For those students who seem to be super serious, ask them what motivates them and you’ll get a shocking response, “to graduate with first class”. Of course who wouldn’t want to? For such student all they ever went to school to do is to study as hard as they can and pass all the assignments, tests and exams. For them school is a place to get certificate/degree to secure a high paying job in an oil company.

I’m not in any way saying that young people shouldn’t go to school or student shouldn’t be serious with their studies? By no means.

I think it’s time for us all to change our mindset from the “go to school, get good grades and get a secure and high paying job” norm to real marketable 21st century skill and business development. Young graduate should try business and other marketable skills (especially online skills) by making full use of the knowledge they acquired in school before ever considering a job. It’s a sad reality that most times graduates are paid far below than what they really deserve.

You may think that you have a rich and connected uncle in Shell Petroleum, Chrevon, MTN, Coca-Cola, NNPC or AGIP but wait until you graduate, then you’ll be hit with reality and be reminded of the law of the jungle which says: In this Jungle there is no father, mother, brother, sister, you are on your own (OYO). I have read so many stories of people who were disappointed by their so called rich and connected Uncles and were left at the mercy of hardship and hunger. You can’t afford to leave your future in the hands of an uncle.

One of the things that annoy me most about our fallen education system is that they are not teaching students anything about starting or running a business with respect to your chosen career. Entrepreneurship is barely spoken of. All what lecturers do is to bombard students with very outdated theories that will hardly put a plate of garri on your table or add a kobo to your bank account.

One Mr. Oladimeji Joseph Fakayode, said “when I came out of so called NYSC, entrepreneurship was my savior as I could not stand sending applications and allow HR analysts trash my year of personal learning”

The sooner we realized that entrepreneurship is the real engine of economic growth and development , the better for all of us. I think it is madness to rely solely on schools and university degrees. Why should a young and vibrant graduate be carrying file around, wearing worn-out shoes from office to office when he can make use of his brain. Then there are others who just sit in their parent’s home praying and fasting for a miracle job.

If US and China are enjoying the fruit of entrepreneurship, why can’t Nigeria do same? You may say that government policies support and encourage entrepreneurship over there, but then, if opportunity does not knock, build a door. Look at successful entrepreneurs like Dangote, Dokpesi, Don Jazzy and a host of others, did they wait until government policies were favorable? I don’t think so.

There is also this trend I see a lot where young graduates run to get a Master’s degree after University. My precious goodness! Ok, Ok I know that your dad have told you to get a Master’s degree so your salary will increase, if you eventually get a job (eventually!)

Ok, now read this hard truth nobody has ever told you: doing a Master’s won’t make you more or less employable, unless your Master’s degree is vocational. Having that qualification on your CV won’t make you hot and more attractive to employers, not to talk about making your salary super high.

Good news is, a Master’s will make you more employable if it improves your skills and work experience more than a year spent doing something unrelated to your career.

Unemployment in Nigeria is real but the fight against unemployment begins with you changing your mindset that there is a job waiting for you after university and self developing yourself.

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nice write-up