The lack of employment options and opportunities for Nigerian graduates is one that cannot be ignored because to do so would be foolhardy.
But when severely probed, all we get as a reply is that the so-called Nigerian graduates are unemployable. Whether Nigerian youths are really employable or not is a hot potato and offering both the accuser and the accused a penny for their thoughts is a survey that might take a million years to gather its data, therefore, this post is meant to clear the air about some reasons why our graduates are unemployable, concluding with the assumption that they really are;
Lack Of Required Skill: In a nation like Nigeria, it is an essential requirement for a graduate to be able to boast of a particular skill. Talking of your certificate, a million graduates can also tender the same thing even with better grades, getting ahead of them all is to actually get head of them by developing a stronger point of acquiring a skill. Employers are obviously tired of seeing same set of individuals with same set of qualifications springing up for interviews daily whereas they are in need of someone that will stand out.Therefore, in case you are being accused of not being employable, drastic times call for drastic measures, the ball is in your court.
They Are All About The Pay: This can also be attributed to impatience. Moment when a Nigerian graduate is thinking of getting employed this day and getting a car or probably buy a mansion in Lekki the next month, based on their salary,little did they know that cutting such mustard is never meant to be in a couple of days. The last time I checked, such scenario only occurs in dreams, if you have no one to disturb your sleep then you will enjoy it for a long temporary while before waking up to the reality that success is built over time and with hardwork, perseverance, dedication and being focused over the years but bearing in mind that every cloud has a silver lining, you will reach your prime.
They Are Educated Illiterates: According to a Nigerian minister who once announced that Nigerian youths are unemployable in defense of a question posed against the then President about his negligence in terms of job provision. He said “Just going to school and getting a certificate is not a guarantee of getting a job. Every employer wants beyond just a certificate. Every employer is out to employ someone with reasoning and intellectual might, not someone who cannot play with a full deck. Someone who knows how to and wants to learn more than what they studied in school and on the job. Someone who can readily bring ideas to the table on how the company can forge forward. Not someone with low reasoning capability who won't even be able to answer extremely trivial questions.“. A graduate is expected to develop him or herself so one can refer to such person as a worthy and employable graduate. Employers’
Unrealistic Demands: Reading through the requirements of a company in search of a computer analyst, it goes thus: Applicant must be less than 28 years of age. Applicant must have acquired a bachelor’s degree in one of the following: Computer science, software engineering or computer engineering. Applicant must have graduated with a minimum grade of second class upper. Applicant must have at least 4years experience in a recognised organisation. Applicant must be willing to learn about new ideas under whatsoever environment. Applicants must have a minimum height of **** Under these tense conditions, hardly will you see a graduate that will scape through and qualify for just the application, invariably such graduate is unemployable by such company. How do we expect an average Nigerian graduate with 4years of experience to be less than 28years of age, it’s hardly possible even if you attended a private varsity where you might scape through the trap of ASUU strike throughout your undergraduate life. Also, setting a minimum height for a job, though it might actually be of great importance, depending on the kind of job, but that condition already made all the short ones unemployable,if possible, employers should keep it at bay.
Lack Of Good Grade: This doesn’t need much story as the idea is straight. Imagine a graduate roaming the street and submitting series of applications with a certificate which no one can brag about, let’s just leave a specific grade out for now. Little did we know that the four or more years that will be spent in a tertiary institution goes a million miles in determining and dictating one’s future in one way or the other, once it’s taken with levity, such person might graduate and become unemployable as he/she will have nothing to offer academically, and mere seeing his/her certificate will become a turn off for potential employers, no matter the skills.
Bad Nation’s Education Sector: Unfortunately, this revelation is not shocking given the realities of Nigeria’s education system. Once the shining beacon on the African continent with people coming from the Carribbean and even as far away as Asia to take advantage of our reputable educational institutions, Nigerian students now sit for months on end in their homes waiting for classes to resume because their lecturers must strike to get the federal government to agree to a living wage for them. Pathetic! Examining the issue from the possible root, Poor funding and management of our Educational system is a major problem. Our federal government will never watch NLC go on strike for days without taking swift actions, probably because they will lose revenue. But since ASUU strike has no or less financial detriment, they are hardly concerned. Then I wonder how a graduate who spent series on months intermittently chilling in his hometown during his undergraduate days due to strikes and its alternatives will come out being employable. Conclusively, the whole nine yards of this post is to summarise some of the reasons why Nigerian graduates are unempoyable. Bearing in mind that there is a method to the madness of the post, it will be better to tackle the message instead of the messenger.
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