We can all agree that education is important. However, taking the traditional education route of attending a four-year university after secondary school can take a long time and is usually fairly pricey.
For some, the traditional schooling system is not their forte and the idea of racking up debt in the form of loans is not enticing.
If attending college isn’t in your plans, you should consider getting a degree via distance learning programmes or get an online degree in any course. In Nigeria, while you might not need a degree to get a job, you would eventually need it for career progression.
There are still several occupations in the job market that provide a great income, a positive work-life balance and a high level of satisfaction that also don’t require you to follow the typical road towards a four-year degree.
However, for a good number of these jobs, you will have to register and get certifications from several certified training and courses aligned with your career.
We have compiled a list of 9 amazing career opportunities that don’t require a university degree.
Before we hoist ourselves into the career opportunities, let us remind ourselves that finding a job in this digital age is a different process than it was twenty years ago.
While not all great jobs require a degree, it can be difficult to know where to look for a rewarding job with minimal education requirements.
In this article, we will discuss 9 jobs that you can pursue without a degree.
We will help you understand the job descriptions, inform you on how to meet job requirements, as well as provide the average annual salary for each of the jobs listed below. It is our goal to help you find the career that is right for you and that you can start within a short time-frame.
1. Photographer/Photo Editor
Maximum annual salary: N4 million
While a Bachelor of Arts in Photography would look good on your CV, there are several more options to build a career in photography as well as for advancement.
Courses on Photography would include art, business, marketing and other courses to round out one’s education.
A polished portfolio, which is often a requirement for training on photography is another benefit of taking such courses.
While some photographers enjoy successful careers in photography armed with only experience and skill, quite a number of them take courses especially those highly specialised industries, which include industrial photography, photojournalism or scientific photography.
In some cases, photographers who specialise in portrait and freelance photography acquire some degree of technical expertise through training and courses.
2. Freelance Writer
Maximum annual salary: N2
Freelance writing jobs are very common in Nigeria. As a freelance writer, you can write for local newspapers, magazines, blogs, websites and individuals depending on what their needs are.
As a freelance writer, you can be a freelance reporter or content writer. This largely depends on the role you are hired for.
Quite a lot of freelance reporters are self-employed and report news stories and other information on an as-needed basis for various organisations.
Their responsibility of the freelance writer is to search, build, investigate and come up with their own stories.
However, they usually have to be business-minded, driven and competitive because these qualities help them find work on a regular basis.
In cases where they have to write about countries other than the countries where they are based, they might have to relocate to deliver optimally.
Freelance writers cover a lot of topics, subjects and specialisations; from fashion to IT, human interest, education, health, politics, entertainment, religion, sports and crime.
In some cases, the risks are higher; even becoming dangerous. Some of these include reporting natural disasters, war and going undercover.
For freelance writers, submission of written articles does not require being physically present in an office.
It is a popular job in Nigeria and does not necessarily require a degree. For writers, experience often counts more than degrees. However, it is important to take up relevant courses and training.
A freelance writer should have a good portfolio of written works; His/her writing must be compelling enough to hold many readers’ attention.
3. Website Designer/Developer
Maximum annual salary: N4 million
A web designer’s job is to develop and create websites and applications.
Web designers are known to work in a variety of industries and usually work there as independent contractors.
Education requirements can vary, but web designers can get entry-level work online certifications and courses.
The job of a Working as a website developer demands that the designer is able to create the look, layout, and features of a website.
A good knowledge of graphic design and computer programming is needed and these can be acquired through a variety of courses that are readily available online.
Also, having a good portfolio of clients will go a long way in helping you get clients.
A web designer’s job duties cover all aspects of creating a website. Your duties will include writing and editing content, web page design layout, determining technical requirements, updating websites, creating backup files and resolving code problems as they arise.
4. Sales Representative
Maximum annual salary: N3 million
Sales representatives also known as a sales person helps customers decide on which products to buy and encourage them to make purchases.
Their responsibilities include interacting with customers, preparing sales contracts and maintaining sales records.
Many sales representatives often spend a lot of time on their feet. In many cases, you find them putting in extra hours to meet targets.
They are also in charge of information and communication technologies services such as registration of domains, hosting and data centre services and the setting up of corporate email accounts.
Earnings are predominantly commission-based and salary-based.
They are also responsible for accounts negotiation, online presentation and closing of deals.
5. Social Media Analyst
Maximum annual salary: N3 million
The best social media analysts usually have a background in marketing and not do not require a degree to improve and build a company’s’ online presence and brand awareness.
They achieve this through the efficient use of social media networks, blogs and online search engine optimisation.
As a social media analyst, you will be saddled with the responsibility of creating and maintaining a company’s presence on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram amongst others. In some cases, you will be expected to maintain the company’s blogs. You will also be in charge of increasing the company’s brand exposure through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and by finding ways to use these keywords in marketing strategies.
6. Translator
Maximum annual salary: N3 million
For this job, you would need to be versatile in at least two languages. It could be more in some situations.
It is similar to the job of a freelance writer in many ways. In many cases, a translator writes articles with the same content only translated from original articles written in a different language. Many Nigerians are known to fluently speak and write in second languages apart from English.
Some of the more popular languages are; Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Portuguese.
Companies are in favour of applicants who know one or two of these languages.
If you’re more proficient as a linguist and know more than three languages that have high demands for translation jobs, you can really earn a decent pay out of this.
7. Digital Marketer
Maximum annual salary: N9 million
People who are interested digital marketing careers can become digital sales executives, internet marketing specialists, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) marketing specialists or digital marketing directors, among a growing list of other options.
However, the educational requirements for a career in digital marketing vary according to the position but generally, digital marketers work on initiating effective marketing campaigns online.
To hit the salary cap of N10 million annually, the digital marketer would have to be employed in a managerial capacity. We have several cases of this in Nigeria, especially within well-structured organisations.
Those interested in digital marketing can find jobs as internet marketing specialists or online marketing managers.
Specialists are expected to be versed in a broad range of online media platforms. Managers, on the other hand, are expected to take on supervisory roles in web-based advertising or promotional campaigns.
8. Graphic Designer
Maximum annual salary: N12 million
If you want to learn graphic design, you can get relevant training from a rich offering of courses in advertising.
Essentially, they work in the advertising and marketing industries, where they oversee a team that typically includes copywriters, graphic designers and account managers.
They are expected to develop and work on creative portions of advertisements and marketing materials.
Training and courses in advertising can prepare students for this career.
Those interested in focusing on artistic development will fare better if they enrol in graphic design or visual communications programmes.
In Nigeria, taking professional exams and becoming Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) members would also go a long way in putting the best foot forward.
9. Police Cadet Inspector
Maximum annual salary: N1 million
In Nigeria, you do not need a bachelor’s degree to get an Inspector badge.
However, you will need to get training from a police training academy and work your way up the ranks before you eventually begin to reap the benefits of this position.
In addition to attending a police training academy, candidates must also pass background checks, psychological tests and physical fitness tests.
After a probationary period that can last up to three years, police officers become eligible for a promotion to detective.
Detectives are known to carry out investigations by gathering evidence, interviewing suspects, examining facts and conducting surveillance.
Police detectives typically work in a specific department such as guns and gangs, narcotics, homicide or organised crime.
The remuneration package for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is not great but it offers a high degree of job security.
The salary cap for Cadet Inspector on Step 7 is N1,045,628 annual but with multiple promotions to the level of Senior Assistant Inspector-General, the annual salary rises to N8.5 million.
You can work without going to a university
A four-year degree is not the right path for everyone, and there are still several rewarding jobs you can pursue if you are not looking forward to graduating from a university.
With a great resume and a successful interview, you can still find the career that’s perfect for you without needing to earn a degree.
Attending a university isn’t for everyone, but anyone can have a satisfying and well-paying career.
Author’s bio:
Linda is a Career Coach dedicated to helping people identify their strengths and pursue their dreams. You can keep up with her on Twitter @lindagimmeson.
