Developing Employability Skills: A Guide for African University Students

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Statistics from the International Labour Organization (ILO) indicate that about 13 million young Africans are unemployed. This is largely due to the limited availability of quality jobs and slow economic growth across the continent, which makes it difficult for graduates to secure employment. This challenge is compounded by a significant mismatch between the high number of annual university graduates and available jobs. According to the African Development Bank (AfDB), 10 to 12 million graduates enter the job market yearly to compete for only 3.1 million available jobs. 

Furthermore, many graduates lack the marketable skills required for rapid-growth industries such as Information Technology (IT), engineering, and finance due to the use of outdated teaching curricula in African higher educational institutions, resulting in graduates not being adequately equipped for the Fourth Industrial Revolution's demands. As a result, only a small fraction of graduates are employable, leading to an oversupply of job seekers with skills that do not match current market requirements. 

A World Bank study, referenced by the International Labour Organization (ILO), found that over 40% of small, medium, and large firms in eight African countries identified a lack of suitable skills as their biggest challenge. These skills required to thrive in the world of work, as highlighted by the World Economic Forum are analytical thinking and innovation, active learning and learning strategies, complex problem solving, critical thinking and analysis, technology use, monitoring and control, leadership and social influence. 

However, despite these challenges, there are numerous opportunities for African university students to upskill and meet the demands of the labour market. Taking advantage of these opportunities is crucial because by gaining relevant skills and experience, students can increase their chances of finding profitable employment right after graduating from the university. 

This article will explore these opportunities, including internships, volunteering, online courses, mentorship programs, and specialized training initiatives that can help students develop core skills like analytical thinking, digital literacy, problem-solving, and leadership. By leveraging these resources, students can bridge the gap between academic qualifications and the marketable skills sought by employers, ultimately improving employability and preparing them for the demands of the competitive African job market.

Building Employability Skills as an African Student

To thrive in a highly competitive formal job market, African university students need to develop marketable skills and acquire relevant knowledge to be employable. According to LinkedIn, analytical skills, project management, customer service, marketing, and time management are must-have skills for new graduates. These skills not only enhance employability but also prepare graduates to excel in diverse professional environments. Here are a few steps for achieving this:

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1. Expand your Knowledge Horizon: Reading widely is crucial for developing critical thinking, building a large knowledge bank, vocabulary refinement, and academic success. These contribute to having a strong GPA, which is essential for landing good jobs in competitive or technical fields. Since recent graduates may lack professional experience, employers often use GPA to gauge work ethics and potential job performance. For example, a high GPA suggests dedication and commitment, which are valuable traits to employers. Additionally, participating in extracurricular activities helps develop key skill sets that are essential for graduates, such as leadership, teamwork, and communication. These activities not only provide practical experience but also demonstrate a well-rounded and dynamic individual.

2. Leverage volunteering and internship opportunities: In addition to graduating with excellent grades, having industry-specific experiences can give you an edge over others after university. One way to garner this experience is through volunteering and/or internships. This gives you the opportunity to acquire hands-on experience and network with industry leaders and peers. To achieve this, identify your interests, which could be related to your area of study or not. Following this, visit platforms such as the ones below to search for opportunities aligned with these interests.

• Opportunity Desk: Opportunity Desk is a digital platform that shares growth and learning opportunities for youths. You can access training, jobs, internships, competitions and volunteer opportunities on this platform for free. 
• Jobberman: Jobberman is a human resource and recruitment organization that publishes African and international job and internship opportunities. Specializing in connecting employers with top talent, Jobberman operates across multiple countries in Africa. In addition to job listings, Jobberman runs a soft skills training program for young professionals, aiming to enhance their employability by equipping them with essential skills. 
• MyJobMag: MyJobMag is a platform for African jobs, internships and volunteering opportunities. The platform has over 10,000 employers featuring opportunities from all sectors. 
• UN Volunteers: Peradventure you intend to build a career in the non-profit or international non-governmental sector, the UN Volunteers platform is a great resource for that. It has thousands of international, national and online volunteering opportunities across different professions. 

To intern at specific organizations, you can also use LinkedIn or search engine platforms to search for available opportunities at these organizations. Alternatively, you can identify key stakeholders at these organizations and then utilize cold-messaging strategies to pitch your interests and skills. For cold messages, keeping it short and simple is a more effective strategy. Research about the company and check for recruiters who work there to connect with them. Simply asking for some time to understand what the company does is a good way to build rapport and trust.

3. Develop your soft skills: Asides academic excellence and technical expertise, employers also look out for applicants with well-developed soft skills. Soft skills are attributes that enable you to efficiently engage with others in a professional or social setting. Some of these skills are communication, team work, leadership, problem solving and time management. They can be developed through constant practice, attending capacity building training sessions on these topics (YouTube has a number of self-help videos), volunteering and engaging in both academic and extra-curricular projects in the university. 

National, Regional and Corporate Actions to Boost Employability in Africa

African countries and corporate entities have continuously launched targeted skill development initiatives and opportunities to refine talent, unlock the potential of young people, and drive inclusive prosperity across Africa's diverse communities and industries. Some of these initiatives are: 

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1. Graduate Trainee Programs: Each year, companies and government agencies across Africa offer graduate trainee positions tailored for recent higher institution graduates. You can discover these opportunities by utilizing search engines and social media platforms, simply by searching for the keywords "graduate trainee." Some of these graduate trainee programs across Africa are Control Risk’s Africa Graduate Program, MTN’s Global Graduate Development Programme, Ecobank Graduate Development Program, Toyota Graduate Program, Audi Global Graduate Program, Shell Graduate Program and Landmark Africa Graduate Trainee Program.

2. McKinsey Forward Learning Program: Forward is a free virtual training program for learning effective communication skills, goal setting, adaptability, teamwork and digital skills to excel in the future of work. The program spans across ten-weeks, featuring practical and reflection exercises that stimulate learning. It is open to Africans who have completed a minimum of secondary school degree and possess fluency in English. You can apply for the program here.

3. African Management Institute's Work Readiness Bootcamp: The African Management Institute's Work Readiness Bootcamp is targeted at young African professionals in the energy sector. It is a free two-months virtual program for Africans who have 1-5 years of experience and are available to commit to the program. The program aims to teach participants goal-setting, problem solving skills, personal productivity, understanding the energy sector, emotional intelligence and many more. You can find further details about the program here. 

4. Jobberman Soft Skills Training Course: Jobberman’s Soft Skills Training is for young people who are looking to build or improve soft skills. Its modules are: personal effectiveness and time management, effective communication presentation and storytelling, business etiquette and workplace ethics, employability skills, emotional intelligence and team work and creativity and idea generation. In addition to the training, there’s a certificate of participation upon completion. Access more information about the Jobberman Soft Skills Training Course here.

5. Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Program (NJFP): The Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Program (NJFP) is an initiative of the Federal government of Nigeria, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The program matches new graduates with employers in different sectors across all Nigerian states for a period of 12 months. The opportunity facilitates the acquisition of employability skills right after school, enabling you to earn a monthly stipend to cater for your needs. Extensive information about this opportunity can be accessed here.

Although getting a great job right after school may seem daunting, it is possible with adequate preparation, the right skills and knowledge and a robust support system of industry leaders and peers. Found this article insightful? Be the first to receive all our educational content by subscribing to our monthly newsletter.