Life After School: Preparing Graduates for a World That Isn’t Waiting

In Nigeria today, graduating is not the doorway to prosperity as many expect. It is a sudden realization of new realities for young people who step out of universities, polytechnics and colleges of education every year. The excitement of academic success quickly turns to uncertainty, frustration and, for many, long-time unemployment. Life after school has become an awakening which many graduates are unfortunately not prepared for.

For years, education was painted as a sure pathway to a better life. Some parents invested their savings, some others took loans to see their children through school; students endured strikes and unstable academic calendars, and the world celebrated certificates as symbols of success. Indeed it worked, as many graduates excelled on pathways created by education.

Then, a new reality dawned on us. Opportunities dried up, and education alone could no longer guarantee a better life.

Now, after the convocation gowns are folded away, many graduates discover that the labour market is demanding and very indifferent to their years of study. The world they are entering is not waiting for them to figure things out.

For many Nigerians, the realities of the world after convocation parties do not immediately dawn on them as they are still being sustained by the allowance from the Federal Government, through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The reality became worse since the allowance increased from N33,000 to N77,000, with some Corp members getting more allowance from the State Government, depending on the state of placement. NYSC Allowance at par with the minimum wage further removed graduates from the realities awaiting them in the job market.

What then happens after the benefits from the NYSC stops? These young Nigerians realise that the outside world is not rosy, but with a standard of living already higher than what they can sustain after the service year. They start to get salary offers that are not up to what they were got under the NYSC Scheme without doing too much, forcing many to settle for jobs they never imagine they would do.

From Private School jobs to roles closely mimicking modern day slavery, graduates take them all, trying hard to keep body and soul together. At first, taking the decision to take such jobs appear like lack of ambition, but the problem is a bit deeper.

The problem is not only the absence of intelligence or ambition among Nigerian graduates, but also the widening gap between what schools teach and what the real-world demands. Employers increasingly seek practical skills, flexibility, digital competence and problem-solving ability. Unfortunately, many graduates leave school prepared mainly with theoretical knowledge, limited exposure to real work environments, and little guidance on navigating life beyond campus.

Youth unemployment remains one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges, and it carries dangerous consequences. An idle and frustrated graduate population fuels social unrest, crime, mental health struggles and a growing sense of hopelessness, as years of education do not translate into opportunity.

Part of the responsibility lies with the education system, which has been slow to evolve. Curricula in many institutions still prioritise repetitive learning over innovation. Industrial training programmes are poorly supervised, underfunded or treated as mere procedures. Career counselling units are often ineffective or completely absent. As a result, students are rarely taught how to write a professional CV, market their skills, start a small business, or adapt to emerging industries.

Government policy also deserves to be looked into. Job creation has not been regular with the growing number of graduates produced each year. Support for entrepreneurship remains inconsistent, while access to startup funding, mentorship and enabling infrastructure is limited. When graduates are encouraged to be self-reliant without access to capital, stable power supply or favourable policies, self-reliance becomes an empty talk.

This is a call for reform and shared responsibility. Preparing graduates for life after school must begin long before graduation day. Educational institutions must take part in practical skills, internships, digital literacy and entrepreneurship into learning not as additions, but as an indispensable part of the system. Industry partnerships should be strengthened so that students gain real-world exposure while still in school.

Government, on its part, must prioritise youth employment as a national emergency. Policies should focus on motivating industries that can engage young talent, supporting small and medium-scale enterprises, and investing in vocational and technical education alongside traditional degrees. A nation cannot succeed when its educated youth are stuck at the doors of adulthood.

Graduates themselves must also adjust their expectations. The era of waiting passively for white-collar jobs has long ended. Flexibility, continuous learning and willingness to start small are now the essential tools for survival. Success after school may not follow a straight path, but resilience, getting the right practical knowledge and skill acquisition can open unexpected doors.

Life after school in Nigeria should not feel like punishment for determination. It should be a stage of growth, contribution and opportunity. But until the education system, government, society as well as the graduates themselves, confront the uncomfortable truth that the world is moving faster than our preparation, graduates will continue to be in situations they were never trained for.