In Nigeria today, a troubling trend is emerging that cannot be overlooked. An increasing number of job adverts across various platforms, including those for online jobs, recruitment websites, and traditional advertisements in newspapers, consistently stipulate that “applicants must have a minimum of five years of experience.”
This requirement raises an important question regarding accessibility and inclusivity in the job market. How is a recent graduate, someone who has just completed their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, which typically lasts for a year, to acquire five years of professional experience, when he or she has not been given any opportunity to enter the workforce? This question lays bare a critical issue at the heart of Nigeria’s worsening crisis of unemployment.
Young graduates appear to be trapped in a vicious cycle, where employers primarily seek candidates with extensive experience, whereas they are just coming out of school. This raises an important question: Does the requirement for work experience function as a barrier, a bridge, or an instrument of exclusion?
The experience requirements frequently established by employers are dampening the aspirations of young Nigerians. Securing a position within the federal and state government sectors today has become increasingly challenging. Without prior work experience, candidates usually struggle to stand out in a large and competitive pool of applicants.
This has significantly reduced the chances of even being called for an interview for these highly sought-after roles. The emphasis on experienced candidates further reveals a troubling trend in the corporate landscape, where employers are often reluctant or unwilling to invest in the training and development of young talents. They often justify their reluctance by stating that they prefer candidates who can hit the ground running.
The Nigerian government’s failure to effectively enforce and implement policies aimed at bridging the gap between academia and industry contributes to the situation, leaving the young graduates in a precarious position as they enter the job market. Internship programmes, which are essential for gaining hands-on experience, are often informally structured, with little or no provision for financial compensation of many studentson industrial attachment.
If industrial training and internship during their period in the university were taken seriously, such would have contributed to their “work experience.”Also, Moreover, the National Youth Service Corps, originally designed to provide young graduates with practical training and exposure to real-world work environments, is becoming a mere formality. Instead of functioning as a vital stage in the development of professional skills, it often offers little more than a superficial experience, leading to dissatisfaction among participants.
Despite completing the mandatory NYSC programme, many companies continue to engage young graduates “contract staff,” volunteers,” or “interns,” effectively exploiting their talents and skills without adequate compensation.
After these graduates have fulfilled their terms of unpaid labour, many companies often dismiss them, and go in search of other fresh graduates whom they would similarly exploit. Many young graduates find themselves trapped in this system that fails to support their professional development and advancement.
The consequences of a fractured employment culture can be both profound and far-reaching, affecting the individual aspirations of our youth, and the overall wellbeing and vitality of the national economy. When the nation systematically excludes its youth from accessing meaningful employment opportunities, it risks undermining the essential energy, creativity, and innovative spirit critical for economic revitalisation.
The youth of Nigeria constitute a significant segment of the population, and their untapped potential could lead to the worsening of the brain drain phenomenon, a troubling exodus of talents that threatens Nigeria’s prospects for growth and innovation. For those unable to emigrate, alternative means of survival often emerge, often in the direction of criminality.
Thus, in failing to engage this demographic group effectively, the country not only squanders a valuable resource but also sets the stage for increased social unrest, disillusionment, and further brain drain, as young individuals seek opportunities elsewhere.
We need to embark on a thorough re-evaluation and redefinition of what constitutes valuable experience. First, we expand our understanding of “experience” to encompass a broader spectrum of activities beyond conventional employment. We must include in our description of experience internship that offers hands-on exposure to specific fields; volunteer work that demonstrates commitment and community engagement; and even practical skills acquired through sundry hobbies and informal engagements.
Each of these experiences can impart critical competencies, such as teamwork, problem-solving skills, and adaptability, which employers very much require. Moreover, we should consider the context in which knowledge, skills and competencies are gained.
For instance, a person may develop exceptional leadership skills while leading a community project or acquire technical expertise through self-directed learning and personal projects. These forms of experience are just as valuable as those obtained through formal employment settings and they deserve recognition in the employment landscape.
Second, companies should be actively incentivised to recruit and train recent graduates. This can be achieved through various means, such as tax relief for businesses that hire a good number of entry-level employees or recognition programmes that celebrate firms investing in young talent.
Additionally, the government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, should take proactive steps to revitalise the Industrial Training Fund scheme, which is designed among other objectives to provide young people with opportunities for apprenticeship or practical exposure to the workplace, while they are in school.
Corporate organisations could be mandated to absorb a specific percentage of new graduates each year, thus ensuring that fresh talents are integrated into the workforce. Furthermore, higher educational institutions need to strengthen their partnerships with various industries to strengthen the much-needed town-gown relationship. One practical way to achieve this is by integrating mandatory, credit-based internships into the academic curriculum.
In this way, students not only acquire theoretical knowledge but also gain valuable practical experience in their respective fields of study, before graduation. Such will make the young graduates better equipped for the job market. Such practice will also provide universities with insights into industry trends and the evolving skill requirements, which universities need for the required regular updating of their course curricula.
Third, the National Youth Service Corps programme should be realigned to provide participants with meaningful work opportunities that are closely aligned with their fields of study. By engaging them in areas that match their unique competencies, the NYSC will contribute to the development of a skilled workforce, while meeting the critical needs of communities nationwide.
Finally, the private sector should be made to understand that beyond their economic interests, they also have social and ethical obligations to the society, including supporting young graduates entering the workforce.
Investing in the training and development of the next generation of professionals should not be considered simply as an act of charity. Instead, it should be understood as a strategic and forward-thinking investment in the future prosperity of the society.
Every experienced professional currently active in the society was once a fresh graduate who required opportunities to learn and grow. By fostering an environment that allows new graduates to acquire hands-on experience, companies can play a pivotal role in shaping a skilled workforce that is capable of meeting the challenges of an evolving job market. It is therefore in the best interest of both the private sector and the wider community to support initiatives that empower and mentor young professionals.
Rev. Ma is a Jesuit Priest. He wrote from Abuja, Nigeria.
