You have spent a lot of time, or perhaps some time, mastering React code, building in Python, or designing on Figma. But then, it’s time to obey the clarion call— and be shipped to a rural area to teach mathematics.
At this point, you’re worried about how to navigate your service year and keep up with your tech skills or jobs.
Posi* a recent graduate and a frontend developer knows the feeling all too well:
“I’m currently serving at a company. They deal in the sale of LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) and LPG accessories, such as gas cylinders and the rest. I’m currently working with sales and maintenance. Today I received a briefing on my job in sales. I manage skids (gas stations) and get daily reports from the managers. Currently, I’m worried about how to handle my PPA and my freelancing, plus learning.”
Here’s the truth: NYSC doesn’t have to pause your tech journey. It can sharpen them. Think of it less like a detour or a gap year—take it as 12 months of getting paid and building, learning, and experimenting.
The first few weeks after camp feel like a reset. You’ve just been assigned your place of primary assignment (PPA), and it’s either a posting you’re happy with or more likely, the opposite.
Posi’s first week at his PPA was not what he had hoped, but he could have had it worse. “I studied Computer Science at the university, and I’m currently focused on Frontend Development,” he says. “ So far, the only thing I do here is sales, and it has nothing to do with my skills.”
TL;DR
Your NYSC game plan: How to balance PPA duties and tech growth
Irrespective of where you’re posted, your service year runs in two tracks:
- Your PPA track: This is your 9-3 job. Your goal is to be reliable, helpful, and get your clearance signed.
- The personal track: This is your tech career. This is where you build your portfolio, learn new skills, and prepare for your post-NYSC reality.
5 key survival strategies (A quick summary)
- Don’t be shy or intimidated to negotiate with your PPA for flexible work hours.
- Dedicate your time and create a working structure to adhere to.
- Your weekends are not just for rest, they’re for work. This is when you build your portfolio.
- Focus on building your portfolio while working at your PPA.
- Location shouldn’t be a barrier; build connections virtually.
Techies in NYSC share their survival strategies
Speculation is cheap, so let’s learn from the experience of Boluwatife* and Qudus*, who are in the middle of their service year. If you can relate to Posi*” you will learn from their experiences.
Boluwatife*, a User Interface (UI/UX) designer, is navigating the common disconnect between specialised careers and NYSC postings. While assigned to a primary school in the South-East as her PPA, she revealed in an interview how she continues to advance her technical skills, refusing to let the unrelated posting “disturb her progress.”
“Honestly, when I saw my PPA letter, I wasn’t surprised. Deep down inside me, I was already preparing for it, so I wasn’t caught off guard,” she said. “The first thing I did was to negotiate with my PPA I think this is easier if you’re posted to a school. I negotiated to come only on Tuesdays and Fridays for 3 hours each (8-11 am).
Although most times I end up leaving by 12 pm, and on rare occasions by 1 pm. Altogether, it still favours me, I have from noon till night to focus on my career, two free days to lock in (minus Community Development Day days), and weekends.”
“Also, I have a strict timetable I follow to ensure I don’t lose focus or fall into the illusion that I have time on my side. Every Sunday, I write out my schedule for the week and allot time for everything I’ll do till the week runs out. Normally, things never work according to a schedule, but it gives me a sense of direction and makes me more productive.
The only disadvantage here is light issues and networking; to solve light issues, I befriended another corps member who has a generator, and we pitch in for fuel. On networking, I focus on building connections on social media and contributing to discussions, and attending virtual webinars. It’s a pity I’ve been unable to attend any physical tech event for the past 7 months. But overall, I’m making steady progress.”
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Key takeaways from Boluwatife’s experience
- Prepare mentally before posting
- Negotiate flexible work hours
- Build a strict weekly schedule
- Focus on virtual networking
- Solve problems collaboratively
- Maintain steady progress
Qudus’* Nysc journey: How a software engineer is surviving a non-tech PPA:
Qudus*, a software engineer specialising in Java and Spring Boot, narrated the “struggles” of his assignment at a real estate company in Benin, his PPA, and outlined the strategies he uses to “keep up” with the fast-evolving tech landscape.
“After my efforts at relocation and PPA posting failed, I had no choice but to head over to Benin from Lagos and spend a full year as a corps member,” he says. “As expected, my PPA had nothing to do with tech.”
“The first month was hard, and I almost gave up on my tech education. I go to work four times a week (9 am- 4 pm) and CDS on the day I am not at work. I was assigned to the Customer Relations unit, and every day was a whole drama of explaining payment plans, dealing with customers who misinterpreted the terms and conditions, running errands for my boss, and getting home tired.”
“ To be honest, I’m hanging by a thread. My PPA requires my presence every day, and I’m not allowed to use my laptop while at work. I have to create time to practice my tech skills.
I get home by 5pm and start cooking my dinner and breakfast for the next day immediately. By 8:30 pm, I rest a bit. I face my learning squarely from 9 pm-12 am every day, set my alarm to 4:45 am, and by 5 am, I’m already up. I spend another 2 hours on my learning and start preparing for work. My weekends are fully dedicated to learning.
I’ve been implementing these steps every day for 9 months, and I don’t feel left behind. They look easy on paper, but they require a lot of discipline and dedication.”
Key takeaways from Qudus’* story
- Don’t waste time fighting for relocation; adapt quickly and plan accordingly.
- Small daily habits matter more than long weekend sprints.
- Protect your weekend and dedicate it to long sprint projects.
- Be consistent.
- Treat your NYSC year as a test of discipline.
How Ade* used his service year to build a data analytics career
So, does all the stress pay off? We asked Ade*, a data analyst who finished NYSC over a year ago, to share his experience.
While discussing his experience, Ade* noted his PPA had nothing to add to his skills.
“My PPA was neither a catalyst nor a pause button to my career in tech,” he says. “ Where I worked during my NYSC has no relation to my tech career, but also not a pause because I created ample time to focus on my tech career as well, and also dedicated any free time I get to focus on my tech journey.”
On the biggest mistake corps members make during their service year, Ade* believed comfort was the biggest enemy.
“Most times, the comfort that no matter what, allowance from FG will still enter makes them relax and not see life after service. Then the panic and desperation kick in when NYSC is almost over, and they haven’t made significant progress in their tech career to make them survive in the outside world.”
Also, he didn’t think going for NYSC made him lag behind his peers. However, he believes NYSC has no unique advantage to offer corps members in the tech ecosystem.
“I didn’t feel left behind by my peers who didn’t serve. It is not a thing to compare, and it was my choice to serve. I also would not say it is a unique advantage because some of these job roles do not require NYSC certification.”
He also admonished corps members to focus more attention on their tech journey by building their portfolio and learning as much as they can:
“When it comes to the job market, no employer cares about what you did in your PPA unless it is tech-related. Instead, they ask for your portfolio, how good you are, and whether you’re a good fit for the role. No one cares about whatever it is you did at your PPA.”
His parting advice to all corps members is to work hard on time management and give no room for procrastination.
“To all people intending to serve or currently serving, my only piece of advice is to structure your time; it goes really fast. You think you have 12 months, but it goes really fast. Don’t pick up that course tomorrow, do it now.”
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Key takeaways from Ades’* story
- Use your NYSC year to grow your tech skills instead of dedicating the whole year to your PPA.
- Avoid the comfort trap of NYSC allowance.
- Build your portfolio, that’s what your employers check.
- Manage your time and avoid procrastination
Turning your NYSC experience into a tech career advantage
Your NYSC year can prove to be more than a gap in your resume; it could be your first entry into the tech world, but it is up to you to decide.
You can emerge from 12 months of service with just a NYSC certificate, as Posi feared. Or you can structure your time, and have a schedule like Boluwatife and Qudus— and end your service year with portfolios and knowledge that will help you in the labour market, like Ade.
Whatever you decide, the 12 months will pass anyway. Don’t just count the days, make the days count.
Your service starts now. What’s the first thing you’re going to build?
