Internships Are Becoming the Real Classroom for Young Africans

Shades of Us Builds the Capacity of its Interns on Mobile Photography and Videography

By Florence Shadrack 

On 10 July 2026, Take the Lead, a programme by West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR), brought together young professionals, researchers, and development practitioners to discuss a question that resonates with millions of young Africans: What truly prepares graduates for the world of work?

The programme was hosted by Augustine Bill Kollie, and followed the discussion, The Significance of Succeeding Through Internship: A Pathway to Professional Integration," which explored the growing importance of internships in helping young people transition from academic life into professional careers. The panel featured Ramatu Ada Ochekliye, Founder and Portfolio Director of Shades of Us; Youssouph Diallo, a PhD researcher specialising in African, Postcolonial and Francophone Studies; Fatou Kiné Diallo, a pharmacy student from Senegal; and Muhammad Sall, an intern in WADR's Digital Department. Drawing from their different professional and academic journeys, the speakers examined why internships are no longer optional experiences but increasingly essential pathways to employment, professional growth, and lifelong learning.

The conversation comes at a time when Africa has one of the world's youngest populations, with millions of graduates entering the labour market each year. While university education remains an important foundation for knowledge and critical thinking, employers are increasingly seeking candidates who can demonstrate practical experience, adaptability, communication skills, and the ability to work effectively within professional environments. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), young people continue to experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment than adults globally, making the transition from education to work one of the most significant challenges facing today's graduates. Against this backdrop, internships are becoming an important bridge between academic achievement and professional readiness.

One of the strongest messages that emerged throughout the discussion was that earning a degree is no longer the final step in preparing for employment. Across many African countries, graduates often leave university expecting that their qualifications alone will secure meaningful jobs. Instead, many encounter vacancy announcements requesting one, two, or even three years of prior experience for entry-level positions. This creates a difficult reality for young people trying to enter the workforce for the first time. Internships, therefore, are no longer simply opportunities to observe professionals at work; they have become practical learning environments where students begin developing the experience, confidence, and workplace competencies employers increasingly expect.

Throughout the programme, the relationship between theory and practice remained central to the discussion. While universities play an indispensable role in providing academic knowledge, speakers agreed that classrooms cannot fully replicate the realities of professional environments. Every workplace presents situations that require critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and decision-making under real conditions. These are experiences that textbooks alone cannot provide.

This perspective was illustrated through the experiences shared by Fatou Kiné Diallo, whose journey as a pharmacy student demonstrated how internships transform academic knowledge into professional competence. Reflecting on her placement at a military hospital, she explained that concepts studied extensively in university lectures only became fully meaningful when applied to real patients. Every case demanded careful observation, sound judgement, and the ability to adapt theoretical knowledge to individual circumstances. What appeared straightforward in textbooks often became more complex in practice, reminding her that professional competence develops through experience as much as through academic study.

A similar reality emerged from the experience of Muhammad Sall, whose academic background in media production prepared him technically but whose internship at WADR introduced an entirely different dimension of learning. While university assignments focused primarily on completing academic tasks, working within a professional media organisation required accountability, collaboration, adaptability, and meeting organisational expectations. Producing work that contributes to an institution's objectives demands a different level of responsibility than submitting coursework for assessment. His experience reinforced the idea that internships provide a transition between educational life and professional practice, exposing young people to expectations that cannot easily be simulated within classroom settings.

Although their fields differed significantly, both experiences reflected a common truth: professional confidence grows when knowledge is applied in real situations. Whether caring for patients in a hospital or producing content in a newsroom, internships provide opportunities to make decisions, solve problems, and learn from experienced professionals. They expose students to the realities of deadlines, teamwork, workplace communication, and organisational culture while allowing mistakes to become valuable learning experiences rather than career-defining failures.

The discussion also explored what professional integration truly means. Employment is often viewed simply as securing a job, but successful professional integration extends far beyond recruitment. It involves learning how organisations function, understanding workplace expectations, communicating respectfully, managing responsibilities, and working effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. These professional behaviours are rarely developed through lectures alone. Instead, they evolve through practical exposure, observation, and continuous learning.

Reflecting on this, Ramatu Ada Ochekliye emphasised that academic excellence and workplace readiness are not always the same. Many students graduate with impressive academic records, yet struggle to adjust to professional environments because the expectations differ significantly. Professional life requires more than technical competence. It demands emotional intelligence, effective communication, teamwork, time management, and the ability to work within established organisational systems. Understanding how to write professional emails, participate in meetings, receive feedback constructively, and collaborate with colleagues are all essential skills that internships help young people develop.

Drawing from the Nigerian context, Ramatu highlighted the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) as one example of structured workplace learning designed to expose students to professional environments before graduation. Such initiatives provide opportunities for students to understand organisational culture while applying classroom knowledge in practical settings. They also help reduce the uncertainty many graduates experience when entering the workforce for the first time. As she noted during the discussion, academic education equips students with knowledge, but internships provide the structure through which that knowledge becomes applicable in real professional contexts.

The programme also challenged young people to reconsider how they approach internships. Too often, internships are viewed merely as graduation requirements or temporary obligations to be completed before moving on to "real" employment. However, the discussion suggested a different perspective. Every internship represents an opportunity to develop professional habits, build relationships, strengthen confidence, and demonstrate qualities that employers value beyond technical expertise. In increasingly competitive labour markets, these experiences often distinguish one graduate from another with similar academic qualifications.

Another recurring theme throughout the conversation was adaptability. Modern workplaces continue to evolve rapidly in response to technological advancement, changing organisational structures, and new ways of working. As a result, employers increasingly seek individuals who are willing to learn, embrace change, and grow with their organisations. Internships create environments where young people begin developing this adaptability by navigating unfamiliar responsibilities, accepting constructive feedback, and responding positively to new challenges. Rather than expecting certainty from the beginning, successful interns understand that continuous learning forms an essential part of professional development.

Beyond adaptability, the discussion examined another quality that often determines whether internships become life-changing opportunities: initiative. While organisations provide platforms for learning, the responsibility to maximise those opportunities ultimately rests with the intern. Throughout the programme, the speakers repeatedly returned to the importance of curiosity, self-motivation, and the willingness to learn beyond assigned tasks. They argued that successful interns are not necessarily those who know the most at the beginning, but those who consistently demonstrate a desire to improve.

Reflecting on his own journey, Youssouph Diallo shared how his first internship after leaving secondary school was entirely voluntary. Although it did not provide a significant financial reward, it became one of the most valuable learning experiences of his early career. During that period, he developed communication skills, improved his computer literacy, and strengthened his typing abilities through additional training. Those experiences, though seemingly small at the time, became assets that supported his academic and professional development in the years that followed.

His experience also challenged the way many young people evaluate internship opportunities. In a difficult economic climate, unpaid or low-paid internships are understandably questioned, particularly by graduates who already face financial pressures. Yet Youssouph encouraged young people to consider the long-term value of acquiring skills, building professional networks, and demonstrating competence. He suggested that volunteering, where possible and appropriate, can sometimes create opportunities that formal recruitment processes may not immediately provide. More importantly, it allows organisations to observe a person's work ethic, reliability, and commitment before making longer-term decisions.

The discussion also addressed one of the greatest frustrations expressed by recent graduates: the experience requirements attached to entry-level jobs. Many employers advertise positions requesting two or three years of experience, creating the impression that recent graduates have little chance of securing employment. Rather than allowing these requirements to discourage applicants, Ramatu Ada Ochekliye encouraged young people to rethink how they view experience.

She explained that every organisation has its own systems, structures, and expectations. Even experienced professionals must learn new processes whenever they join a different workplace. For that reason, internships should never be underestimated. Six months of meaningful practical experience can demonstrate far more than simply listing academic qualifications. What matters is how applicants present the responsibilities they handled, the skills they developed, and the value they can bring to an organisation. Passion, willingness to learn, and the ability to adapt often influence hiring decisions as much as previous experience.

One of the programme's most inspiring moments came when Ramatu reflected on her own career journey. She revealed that one of the internships that significantly shaped her professional life began when she was 28 years old. At the time, she was entering an entirely new sector and described herself as the oldest intern in the programme. Much of the work was unfamiliar, and many of the concepts initially felt overwhelming. Rather than allowing discomfort to discourage her, she committed herself to learning. She researched unfamiliar topics independently, asked questions, sought guidance, and consistently reported back on the tasks she was assigned. Looking back, she believes that her willingness to learn accelerated her growth and laid the foundation for the professional she has become today.

Her experience served as a powerful reminder that internships are not opportunities reserved only for students or recent graduates. Learning has no age limit, and professional growth often begins when individuals are willing to step outside their comfort zones. Entering unfamiliar environments requires humility, resilience, and patience, but those same qualities often become the foundation for long-term success.

Ramatu also challenged a growing mindset that sometimes undermines internship experiences. She observed that many organisations today operate under significant pressure, leaving little time for extensive mentoring. As a result, opportunities to work closely with professionals who are willing to teach, guide, and invest in young people have become increasingly valuable. She encouraged interns to recognise these moments for what they are: opportunities that should never be taken for granted.

Drawing from her experience at Shades of Us, she shared that several former interns have gone on to become programme officers and professionals in larger organisations. Their success, she explained, did not happen by chance. They distinguished themselves through commitment, consistency, curiosity, and a willingness to embrace every opportunity to learn. For employers and supervisors, these qualities often leave a stronger impression than academic achievements alone.

Another important issue explored during the discussion was the relationship between interns and organisations. Internships are sometimes viewed solely from the perspective of what students hope to gain, yet the conversation highlighted that they are fundamentally mutually beneficial relationships. Organisations invest time, supervision, and resources into developing interns, while interns contribute fresh ideas, enthusiasm, and additional capacity to support ongoing work.

Muhammad Sall reflected on this balance by encouraging young people to understand both their value and their responsibilities. He acknowledged that interns should avoid situations where they are consistently assigned tasks unrelated to their learning objectives, such as running personal errands that contribute little to their professional development. At the same time, he emphasised that interns must also contribute meaningfully to the organisations that invest in them. Professional growth requires participation, responsibility, and a willingness to add value rather than simply observe.

The programme also examined common mistakes that limit the impact of internships. One recurring observation was that some interns wait to be instructed before taking action, missing valuable opportunities to demonstrate initiative. Fatou Kiné Diallo highlighted this as one of the biggest mistakes young people make. She encouraged students to ask questions, volunteer for responsibilities where appropriate, and remain actively engaged throughout their placements. Initiative, she argued, often distinguishes interns who simply complete programmes from those who leave lasting professional impressions.

The discussion later turned to an important question raised by one of the programme's online participants: Why do African universities appear to prioritise theory over practice? Rather than dismissing classroom learning, the panel offered a more balanced perspective. Ramatu argued that knowledge itself is never wasted. Every subject studied contributes to a broader understanding that may prove valuable in unexpected ways throughout one's career. Youssouph shared a similar view, explaining that theory and practice should not be seen as opposing concepts but as complementary parts of learning. In disciplines such as science, engineering, and healthcare, theoretical understanding often provides the necessary foundation before practical application becomes possible. Likewise, Fatou observed that students cannot always predict which knowledge will become valuable in their future careers, making it difficult to dismiss any area of learning as irrelevant.

As the discussion drew to a close, the speakers shifted their attention towards practical advice for young people preparing for internships. They encouraged students to remain curious, ask thoughtful questions, seek mentorship, communicate professionally, and embrace opportunities to learn beyond their comfort zones. They also stressed the importance of presenting internship experiences effectively on CVs and during interviews. According to Youssouph, completing an internship is only one part of professional development; equally important is the ability to communicate the skills, responsibilities, and achievements gained during that experience. A well-written CV tells a story of growth rather than simply listing positions held.

The programme concluded with a message of optimism and responsibility. Although the transition from education to employment continues to present significant challenges across Africa, internships remain one of the most practical tools for helping young people navigate that journey. They build confidence, strengthen workplace competencies, expand professional networks, and prepare graduates for environments where learning never truly ends.

At the same time, the discussion highlighted that creating meaningful internship opportunities cannot rest solely on the shoulders of students. Governments, educational institutions, employers, civil society organisations, and development partners all have important roles to play in strengthening the bridge between education and employment. Universities must continue exploring ways to integrate practical learning into academic programmes, organisations should invest in structured and meaningful internship experiences, and young people themselves must approach every opportunity with humility, discipline, and a willingness to learn.

The conversation on Take the Lead ultimately demonstrated that internships are about far more than gaining work experience. They represent spaces where young people begin discovering their professional identities, testing their knowledge against real-world challenges, and developing the confidence needed to contribute meaningfully to society. They teach lessons that cannot always be captured in lecture notes or examination scripts—lessons about communication, resilience, accountability, teamwork, and continuous growth.

At Shades of Us, we believe that investing in young people means investing in Africa's future. Preparing graduates for meaningful careers requires more than awarding certificates; it requires creating opportunities where knowledge meets experience, potential meets purpose, and learning extends beyond the classroom. As the world of work continues to evolve, internships are no longer simply stepping stones into employment. They are becoming the classrooms where many young Africans begin building the careers—and the future—they aspire to create.