The Pro-Chancellor and Dean of the College of Business, Law and Social Sciences at the University of Derby, United Kingdom, Professor Kamil Zakariyya’ Omoteso made the disclosure at the 2019 edition of First Class Muslim Graduates’ summit held at the Islamic Centre of the University of Lagos.

At the event themed, “Pursuing your Goal”, were over 79 first class graduates from different universities across the country.

Omoteso while speaking, revealed that, at the end of every academic calendar, several Nigerian institutions, from government to privately-run universities produced hundreds of first class graduates but many of them found it difficult to secure jobs years after graduation.

He said many of the first class products were not equipped with the necessary tools that will make them succeed after graduation.

“Some of the tools include short internship/placement during summer breaks and volunteering in relevant organisations.

“These include supporting students on CV writing, crafting of their personal statements, preparing students for interviews/assessment centre activities, etc, providing research assistantship opportunities for outstanding students. Institutions should also liaise with employers for life projects to which students can contribute, with dual-supervision.

“One of the key elements we are incorporating into academics in the West is graduate employability.

“Employability and entrepreneurship skills are really important for students before they graduated from Universities. Like someone asked a question that they have got the degree but because they have not got the experience, it’s becoming difficult for them to secure jobs.

“This isn’t going to be so if the University incorporates employability and entrepreneurship skills in its academic curriculum. There would be opportunity for volunteering whereby organisations would liaise with the University to take students for internship for three to six months, either before or immediately after their graduation. The experience they have gathered during the period would add to their CVs. It has to be a collaboration between ‘The Town and the Gown’ if you see what I mean. That would help them a lot,” he said.

Omoteso recalled that in his days at the University of Lagos, students who graduated with first class were retained and offered jobs as Graduate Assistants, adding that, “they will use the opportunity to build on their profile and determine whether to stay in academia.”

He called on the government and the Nigerian universities to be serious about the employability for their students, adding that they were talents that shouldn’t be wasting away.

“That’s another thing we can do, and of course, the Universities can also do that for their students. In our University (at UK), we guide our students on how to write CV, how to excel at interviews by conducting mock interviews for them, assessment centres activities for them and real experts from the industries come and conduct this for them so that when they are going for interview or are applying, their chances of getting in would be enhanced.

“If you look at the percentage of the budget that goes into education, it is shameful compared to other sectors and compared to the allocation for education in the budgets of other countries, particularly in the West. We’ve got to take education seriously in terms policy implementation and that is one of the challenges ASUU has got with the Federal Government. We’ve done a little but there is room for improvement.”

There is a saying that the day anyone stops learning is the day he starts dying, and nothing can be truer than this – in fact, many workers are laid off for redundancy because they have largely not learnt an additional skill that can make their service invaluable to employers.

You know the meaning of redundancy, don’t you? Well, simply put, redundancy means being “useless”, “unneeded”, and “one too many” at a workplace.

The only thing that can ever make you useless, unneeded, and one-too-many in your place of work is when you have outlived your career value because you have nothing new to bring to the table; the company now considers you liability because you have no new skills that are of value to your employer.

In fact, your employer now thinks “an old dog learns no new tricks” and so sets you toppling overall because you have failed to learn new and additional skills that could improve your value and make you inestimable to your employer.

To obtain additional skills that could make you invaluable to your employer and even boost your earnings, you must do a combination of the following:

Go for higher education

Education can always be synonymous with skills, and the more educated you are at a particular field the more skilful you are at tasks pertaining to that field. You must therefore for more education with a view to gaining additional skills related to your profession.

If you had a college degree, then go for your B.Sc; and if you had your B.Sc then go for your Masters, and then PhD and so on until you become quite skilful at your career field.

Go for professional certifications

You must also consider acquiring professional certifications related to your field and career tasks. If you are a website designer and developer, then go for industry-related certifications in Oracle, Microsoft, programming and whatever.

You must also have certifications from industry-related associations or regulatory bodies overseeing your profession.

Learn the computer and other career equipment

Whatever you do in your place of work today, go for computer literary studies to get better at it. Learn how to use the computer to work better and faster, and also learn how to use machines and equipment that are necessary for the line of your trade.

For instance, learn to use the computer for editing jobs if you’re already an editor; learn how to drive a truck if you’re a commercial or personal driver; learn how to also paint a house if you are only a bricklayer.

Learn leadership skills

Learn leadership skills regardless of the fact that you are a junior staff. Go for leadership trainings and MBAs in order to learn how to manage situations and people.

Employers will give you bigger responsibilities if you are able to manage events and people to achieve a common end. Do not forget that your ability to multi-task at your job will also endear you to your employer and make you more invaluable to anyone that you work with.