Graduate Employability is Everyone’s Responsibility- Olumuyiwa Oludayo

The frustration of young graduates roaming job markets across Nigeria is familiar. But for Dr. Olumuyiwa A. Oludayo, a leading organisational management consultant and higher education transformation expert, the solution is clear: everyone has a role to play.

“Graduate employability is a shared responsibility. No single stakeholder can solve this alone,” he said during a recent conversation in Lagos.

“It sits at the intersection of higher education institutions, employers, and government. If any one of these actors underperforms, the system weakens.”

Oludayo’s work, particularly the Workplace Readiness Survey, shows just how critical coordinated action is.

“Students demand more exposure. Institutions are trying, but they are capacity constrained. Employers expect readiness but are not sufficiently engaged. This gap can only be resolved when everyone works together,” he says.

For universities, he believes the focus must shift from simply delivering knowledge to preparing students for the realities of work. “Higher Education Institutions must move beyond knowledge delivery. They must take responsibility for transition readiness. Employability should not sit at the margins. It should be central.” He urges schools to integrate career services into every programme, teach practical skills like CV writing and interviewing, and provide real-world exposure.

Employers, too, must rethink their role. “Employers must become co-creators of talent, not just consumers,” Dr. Oludayo says. “Structured internships, mentoring, and real project exposure help students transition smoothly and reduce onboarding time. When employers engage early, they improve workforce quality.”

Government, he stresses, provides the foundation for systemic change. “Through Ministries, Departments, and Agencies responsible for education and labour, government must set national employability standards, incentivise industry participation, support large-scale internship programmes, and track graduate employment outcomes. Without policy direction, system-level change will be slow.”

But Oludayo is equally firm about the responsibilities of students and parents. “Students must become active participants in their own employability. They should deliberately pursue internships, practical projects, and professional networks. A degree is no longer sufficient on its own.”

Parents, he adds, must ask different questions. “Not just, ‘What degree will my child obtain?’ but, ‘How will this institution prepare my child for employment?’ That shift alone will drive institutional change.”

Asked whether he believes the problem can be solved, he smiles. “We now have clarity. The data tells us what works: exposure, signalling, and institutional support. Once there is clarity, the problem becomes solvable. Graduate employability is not an accident. It is the outcome of intentional collaboration across the system.”

Dr. Oludayo, Principal Consultant at Nathan Leadgate Limited, has worked across multiple sectors, from higher education to aviation and energy, helping institutions and organisations translate complex workforce challenges into actionable strategies. His research continues to shape how Nigeria prepares graduates for meaningful, productive careers, one collaboration at a time.