Schneider Electric is using a six-month mentorship programme to help bridge the gap between university education and workplace skills for engineering students in Nigeria and other African markets.

The company’s Advancing Energy Tech mentorship programme, launched in South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, pairs electrical engineering students with Schneider Electric engineers as they prepare to enter the energy and technology industries.

In Nigeria, the programme is being implemented at the University of Ibadan and Yaba College of Technology, where participating students receive one-on-one guidance from professionals working in the industry, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

The initiative comes as employers continue to grapple with a shortage of graduates equipped with practical skills required in the workplace. The State of the Nigerian Youth Report 2025, released by Plan International Nigeria and ActionAid Nigeria, put youth unemployment at 53 per cent, with more than 80 million young Nigerians out of work.

The challenge extends beyond Nigeria. The Cengage Group’s 2025 Graduate Employability Report found that only 30 per cent of graduates surveyed secured full-time employment related to their degrees. Among those who felt unprepared to apply for entry-level positions, more than half identified a lack of job-specific skills as the main barrier.

Schneider Electric said its mentorship programme is designed to address that gap by giving students access to professionals with direct experience of the industry.

Advancing Energy Tech operates under VolunteerIn, the Schneider Electric Foundation’s global platform for employee-led giving and skills-based volunteering. Participating institutions nominate students, who are then matched with mentors according to their interests and career goals.

The programme begins with a group kick-off session, either in person or virtually, followed by six months of one-on-one mentorship under a formal framework.

During the programme, students are exposed to practical aspects of professional life, including working across teams, engineering standards and compliance, workplace conduct and understanding industry expectations.

The mentorship also focuses on helping students identify potential employers and the skills they require, while developing professional networks, personal brands and elevator pitches before graduation.

Access to Education Programme Coordinator, West Africa, Funmilayo Olakitan, said the programme was intended to strengthen the connection between education and employment.

“As an Impact Company, we believe performance and purpose go hand in hand. With an inclusive culture at our core, we empower everyone to play a part in building a more sustainable and resilient future,” Olakitan noted.

“By linking students with industry professionals, we’re building a stronger bridge between education and employment. The future of energy depends on the skills and ideas of young engineers, and we want to support their journey.”

The programme, which began in May and runs through October, has also recorded progress among participating students and mentors.

One of the mentees, Onisobuana Osuamkpe, said the programme had improved his understanding of professional engineering environments and strengthened his communication and job-readiness skills.

“My mentor provided guidance on how modern engineering workspaces operate and advised me on structuring my professional documents,” Osuamkpe said.

For mentors, the programme also provides an opportunity to contribute to the professional development of young engineers.

A mentor in the programme, Innocent Ugwu, said he had observed improvements in his mentee’s engagement and development, particularly in taking initiative and working effectively as part of a team.

With youth unemployment remaining a major challenge across Africa, Schneider Electric is betting on direct industry exposure and mentorship to give engineering students practical skills before they enter the labour market.