Ever heard this joke: “hiring entry-level applicants, minimum three years of previous experience”. That proves to us that higher education, University OR Polytechnic is a valuable experience in its own right, but academics alone will not secure your future once your last class is completed.

One way to move in the direction of a bright future is to build a solid resume — one that includes work experience in addition to a degree and extracurricular involvement.

Here are five ways that you can gain meaningful work experience while still in school:


Freelance: This is a very flexible arrangement for you as a student and for the company as well. If you have a gift and/or have mastered a skill, you can supplement your income and gain valuable experience by freelancing your services to organizations/people that need them. Freelancing can also provide you with some great work examples to add to your portfolio, while also enhancing your network of contacts. Check out Fiverr & Upwork

Start your own business: Campuses across the country are filled with student entrepreneurs, from food/catering services to delivery services to selling apparels. Starting and running a successful business offers many experiences, from brainstorming ideas (and making at least one a reality) to honing key business skills.

Volunteer: Gain experience and industry connections while helping the community! Depending on your degree, volunteering work can actually be more useful and helpful than a job. Volunteering can help you better understand social problems and you can contribute to solving at least part of the problem.
Your work will not be the only thing highly valued, but you might come up with innovative ideas and help associations or organisations that help prevent various social problems.
During volunteering work, you can meet people that can become credible contact people for future job recommendations or can one day become your employers.

Maximize Industrial Attachment/SIWES: An Industrial Training or work placement is a way to gain professional experience in a workplace, you might get paid and you might not. Many are offered by universities/polytechnics as part of degree/diploma courses. Grades may depend on your completed tasks during your work placement and you will probably need to complete a project and possibly progress reports as part of the placement.
IT/SIWES is usually taken between your second and final year at the university or your second year in polytechnics.
Check out findplacement.com.ng to ease your search for work placement.

Internships: Internships are perfect for developing a successful career in a prestigious company that’s connected to your study interests. Some internships are paid and offer you the opportunity of getting hired after completing your internship. If not hired, you will get a good reference for future job opportunities and connect with people who might become your future work colleagues or partners. Internships are perfect for anyone because you get to know the field you are looking to learn about. To find Global and local internship, check out findplacement.com.ng and internships.com

The experience from some of what you wrote like freelancing and internship aren't easily accessible here in Nigeria.

And the others like starting your own business on campus...As an engineering, scientist, arts or law student, selling recharge card, food, drinks, clothes...etc on campus would be seen more as hussle than experience by a prospective employer.

What I would suggest is gaining experience in your field. Eg if you're an engineer, mastering the act of wielding, electrical and electronics appliances, Manson/bricklaying...etc would boost your CV in terms of experience.

Then on the issue of SIWES, most companies would prefer to take polytechnic IT students who would be staying for one year or more than university SIWES students who would be with them for just six months.

So finding an establishment in line with your career for SIWES would be a Herculean task in today's Nigeria considering how tight everywhere is.

On your suggestion about volunteering...I doubt if we have young people today who would just volunteer to work without pay for the purpose of gaining experience. Hunger wouldn't allow any youth think towards that angle.

If we were in a society where things were working, I would have picked it to be the best, but youths of today can't even sit down for two years as "Nwa Boy" to learn a trade and be settled is it to volunteer their time, money energy...etc that they'll do.

All in all I'll advice undergraduates to develope themselves while on campus.

If you're a computer science student, learn different programs, if you're an engineer I've already mentioned options to learn from. Just grow yourself in your field and the sky will be your limit.

Freelancing and internship have actually gotten easier. As a Nigerian who has a digital skill like graphics design, copywriting etc. You can easily get to work with foreign clients if you know the basics or with the help of a professional.

I have seen lots of undergraduate make it big during this ASUU strike with Freelancing. Many getting jobs worth more than $2000.

It actually depends on your knowledge and skills. Here is a testimony �