What Young School Leavers Do With Their Gap-Year

The job market is tough these days and it looks like young secondary school leavers in Nigeria are already preparing for the challenge.

These days, more students choose to wait a year before applying to university so they can spend the gap year learning craft.

Most others who apply to university but don’t make it also decide to spend the year learning a vocation before they re-sit the UTME the following year.

Bimbo finished secondary school last year. She says: “I didn’t apply straight to university after my SSCE, so I decided to spend my gap year learning a craft or two. So then I learned bag making last year. Then this year I applied to university and I’ve now been admitted. So I’m starting school in January.”

Dotun is another student like that. “I’ve always been dexterous. I’ve always liked to do stuff with my hands. So when I finished school this year, I wrote the UTME too but I didn’t meet the cut-off in the school I chose. So I’m resitting the UTME next year, but I’m learning graphic design and programming at the moment,” he explained.

Twenty-year-old Bimbo said revealed that she has to engage in something that would fetch her some money.

She said: “I think I made the right decision, because when I start school I’ll be able to make some money for myself by making bags for students on campus. That way I won’t have to rely on my parents for everything I need. I think it will also help me when I finish school.

“You know jobs are scarce and graduates often have trouble finding work. So I’ll have an alternative when I finish school. I can either look for a job or decide to set up my own business if that doesn’t work out. That’s my backup plan.”

Adeola has a diploma and currently works as an assistant at a salon where she’s learning to make hair.

She said: “I plan to spend the next one year learning at this salon, then apply to university the year after. I think this will prepare me better for the future. I figure when I go to school I’ll still have to learn a craft at some point and not just depend on the certificate. So why not learn it now and get it out of the way?”

Many students in tertiary schools are also turning to crafts to prepare for life after school and plan for a possible career. Many graduates who can’t get a suitable job are taking up crafts too.

Even the NYSC usually organise craft training for corps members when they’re in orientation camp. This is quite the trend today.

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What Young School Leavers Do With Their Gap-Year