Top 10 Profitable Skills to Acquire that can sustain you without a job after School

According to recent statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics, the labour force population (i.e those within the working-age population willing, able and actively looking for work) increased to 80.67 million from 79.9 million in the second quarter. The report stated that the number of unemployed persons increased by 555,311. These statistics grew even further by last quarter as lots of organizations packed up while others cut jobs.

All these notwithstanding, the country produces not less than 1.8 million graduates every year, who are willing to employ them, and how many can they employ?

These questions and statistics have prompted this write up; have you asked yourself, what are your chances of getting a job immediately after school? These days, the aspect of job satisfaction is no longer an issue, many will say, let’s get any job first.

Instead of thinking of who will employ you after school or how long it might take to land any job, I think you should consider acquiring a skill.

Skill acquisition is the best thing that can happen to an undergraduate before graduation in this current dispensation. The skill acquired could vary according to your interest but it can go a long way to sustaining you and your family after school.

In that regard, I have decided to share with The Total Entrepreneurs, Top 10 Profitable Skills to acquire that can sustain you without a job after school.

But before listing these top profitable skills, some of you may ask why should I acquire a skill when I am reading a professional course like Medicine, Engineering, Pharmacy, Accountancy or even Law, well, I want you to do a little survey within your neighbourhood or social media friends, ask whom among them read the above-mentioned courses, when they graduated, how many of them are currently employed, what kind of job are they employed in and how much they earn.

Many after graduation end up doing nothing or working with a law firm where they are paid 30k per month and same with medical doctors working with private clinics.

Another reason you need to acquire these skills is that, with the knowledge, you need little to no fund to startup So, the case of looking for funding will not arise until you have established yourself, made a name, and seeking to expand. With acquired skills, you can only be providing solutions or solving people’s problems. Are you with me? Now let’s get to business.

Top 10 Profitable Skills to acquire that can sustain you without a job after school:

1. Fashion Design

The fashion industry does not know the meaning of recession. This industry grows yearly and as well the profit margins. If you are creative and the trendy type, you will make it in this industry. Also, in Africa, we are good at organizing/attending occasions in uniform and there is no week in Nigeria that people are not celebrating or mourning. When you are good at designing or sewing, you will be overwhelmed with job orders. A friend once said that if you can survive the disappointment of a Nigerian tailor, you can survive any disappointment. What this implies is that they hardly keep up with delivery date; this could be out of too much job order or just another lazy tailor (many of them are). So if you are good, creative, and keep up with the latest design in vogue as well as keep to time, then this industry is definitely a go for you.

2. Makeup/Manicure/Pedicure

This is another industry that is profitable and does not require a degree to startup. All you need is acquire the skills, be good with colour and know how to pamper your customers and I bet you will never lack money if you are good at it. Many students, male and female alike are already in this niche. On a weekly basis, most females, professionals, and students wear new nails. They pamper their face to look good especially during ceremonies. It is worthy to note that males in this industry make it faster than there female counterparts if they know the skill very well, want to know the reason? Male touch up is definitely irresistible to most female clients who love to be pampered at all times.

3. Hair Dressing/Barbing

Looking good is good business that every individual loves. Men always cut their hair to look smart and tidy, while the women folks dress their hair to look gorgeous. Many individuals cut/dress their hair on a weekly basis. If you can learn how to cut or dress men or ladies’ hair respectively, you can earn a steady income for yourself. This remains one of the most profitable and lucrative businesses that also does not require huge capital depending on how you want to start and location. I have an idea for people that wish to venture into this business. Because of the viability of the business, almost every street corner has a hairdressing salon or barbing shop. Once you acquire this skill, try to engage your customers in conversation while cutting their hair, this has been proven to bring repeat customers. Also location matters, you should look for a corner without a barber’s shop to set up yours or looking for developing areas to start.

4. Photography

During my days in higher institutions, I was not the picture type but every day I pass the picture stands, the traffic flow remains intimidating. People love keeping memories and the best way to do this is through picture documenting. Go to ceremonies, eateries, school, and even funerals, etc photographers abound, both invited and uninvited. To get ahead in the photography business, you need to understand the art of digital photography, be creative, canvass your client’s work and give them great designs that will keep them coming back to you or referring you to their family and friends. Some photo studios will also engage you to just take pictures and get paid. Also, be up to date with new technologies to spice up your work and keep you ahead of your game. Contact BlueMoon Photography on how to learn the skill of Photography.

5. Web Design

Web designing remains very lucrative and businesses now understand the need to showcase their products/services online. Acquiring this skill and being creative with your design can put food on your table. Once you learn how to design a website, go out there, make your research and look out for small businesses that are yet to have online presence, offer them an opportunity to have their business online at a limited cost, do a great job, have a professional website about your business and link back to your site indicating you designed the site, do this for few other businesses and showcase your works in your site, if you are good and have lovely designs, you will start getting job orders that can be paying your bills.

6. Graphic Design

This is another profitable skill that can sustain an individual if he or she is good at it. Most acclaimed graphic designers even with the help of available software do messy jobs. Acquire this skill and you may not wish to work for anyone in your lifetime. Graphic designers are good at telling stories in images and texts. The best of comics are created by graphic designers. This skill can easily be outsourced and on a daily basis, novelists, writers, columnists, bloggers, magazines require the services of graphic designers to better buttress their stories.

7. Baking

If you learn how to bake cake, make chin-chin, meat-pie, fish-rolls, etc, you could be earning a small but steady income to sustain you during and after school. But if you are very good at those, why not, you could work for big eateries and hotels that are willing to pay for your services. This business is stressful but if you are good at it, you could generate a moderate income that can sustain you. You could bake for your friends during their parties, and if your work is good, they could recommend you to their family and friends during their wedding and big ceremonies. You can also be baking chin-chin and pies to supply supermarkets, stores and school canteens on a daily basis. Contact Omabel Creations if you are interested in this type of business.

8. Cobbler/ Bag Maker

Making foot wares and bags can be very profitable. Africans love wearing matching outfits, some fashionista’s could design/create foot wares to match with your outfit using your clothing material. You could learn this skill while in school and be making shoes and bags for your fellow students and friends. If you are creative and have interest in designing shoes and bags, you should consider acquiring this skill.

9. Driving

Yes, you can drive for cash. Taxi industry is booming according to statistics by UBER. You can raise money and get a car that you could use for part-time taxi business. You could also register with taxi companies or have a relation/friend get you a car as a loan and I bet you, before 6 months, if you are diligent, you would have paid back. From a little unofficial personal survey I conducted in FCT, Abuja, and Enugu in Nigeria, taxis in Enugu makes an average of N4000 to N7000 daily while their counterparts in Abuja make even higher. A taxi man I met in Abuja who was formerly an automobile mechanic told me that he didn’t know how profitable the business was until one of his customers paid him N4,000 to please take him to the airport and on his way back, he got another passenger to town. He said he drove around town for roughly about 2 hours and spent a total of 3 hours driving that day but made N9,000 after all expenses. He is now a full-time taxi driver. If your car is still very neat and in good shape, you could also register as an Airport taxi and that is more money.

Read story of UBER driver in Nigeria and how much he makes.

10. Cable TV Installer

This is another profitable skill that will cost you almost nothing to learn if you love Engineering or like playing with electronic tools. You can do this business on the side while you do other things. Cable TV Installation is not so hard to learn and you could meet with Satellite Cable companies or their distributors and ask them to refer you to mount cable for new customers, this way, you do not only install it that once but big chances are you will be maintaining it.

BONUS

Blogging

This remains a profitable business if done right. Some Bloggers make as much as a six-figure income monthly, others make less or more. When you are knowledgeable enough in a particular niche, then you alone can decide what your earning potential could be. But for you to monetize well, you need to register your own domain name and host your own blog, that way, you will be limitless with options to monetize with, either through affiliate marketing, ad networks, or sale of e-materials. You can Learn How to Start a Money Making Blog Here.

Check out these blogging courses from Udemy

Conclusion

Skill is acquiring ability through training. You must not be passionate about something before you can make it in such area. All you need is put interest and you will forever be grateful you did. With acquired skills, you will not be looking for whom to employ you but people will be looking for you to help them solve their problem.

Let me know the skill you have interest on and I can help you with tips on how to venture into it.

This year will be a successful year to all dedicated entrepreneurs despite the challenges you’re currently facing. Never give up.

These online savings platforms with high interest rates might help you save for that future investment.

©FrancisNwokike