12/12/2025
Happy Weekend my people!
I have been reading posts on how to prepare yourself for the changing world of AI in 2026 by acquiring new skills. This post below by Omotoyosi Ogunbanwo (Miyaah) breaks it down in a way that makes so much sense.
This is not only for those doing NYSC but also for anyone in a stagnant career that is looking at making changes to improve their economical and professional status in 2026.
Let me know what you think
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In my last post, I talked about how much the world has changed in the last 5 years. Bloomberg estimates that 65% of new grads from 2024 onwards would never find an entry level job. This means if 100 of you graduates, 65 would struggle to find jobs. Not because you are not qualified. But because the job market has been completely revolutionized with AI.
So how do we fix this? Long post. But very detailed.
If I were to start over as a young graduate in my 20’s living in Nigeria, this is what I’d do knowing what I know now.
During my youth service, I would actively start to upskill. I would try getting a remote job that could potentially pay me in dollars.
The easiest entry for me as a new grad during NYSC would be starting out as a virtual assistant. I’d go online and search for VA courses to take. I’d take a structured VA course, and if I wanted real guidance + community, I’d enroll in Ekwy’s VA program to learn how to set up my accounts and start applying immediately.
I would put my all into this class and do everything within my power to find a job before completing my youth service.
And while doing that, I’d join Nigerian Girls in AI and complete their free 8-week AI content creation challenge to sharpen my skills and combine AI skills with VA skills. Combing AI skills would set you apart.
I will actively put myself on social media (instagram and LinkedIn) and make at least one post a day talking about what I have learnt.
When I Get My First Remote VA Job.
When I eventually get a job as a VA, I would give myself a timeline of 1 year max to work that job.
Month 1 - Dorime with my salary.
Month 2 - Strategy mode activated. I’d go back to the drawing board of how I want to grow and improve my finances. If my income is $1K per month, I would set aside $100 monthly from that into the stock market because time in the market is greater than timing the market. High risk investments only because I’m young.
This month - $100 of Nvidia. Next month, $100 of AMD, next month, $100 of Tesla, then Google then Microsoft then back to Nvidia - rinse and repeat.
Month 3: Build My First Side Hustle
By Month 3 in my job, I’d create an AI Content Creation Training exclusively for New Grads and Youth Corpers. I’d charge for the class and host it on the weekends. Advertise at NYSC PPA and run paid ads on social media.
I will dedicate a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays exclusively for the training. I would aim for 100 students a month with consistent ads.
My structure? I work my VA job Monday to Friday (hopefully US hours)
I teach classes Saturday and Sunday
And between 9am to 1pm during the week when I’m not working, I will build side hustle number 2. I will start an AI agency where I help small businesses create ads for their products.
I will target brands on my social media that are mid range. Not popular, not small. I will create AI content for them and get paid.
The side income from my AI class and AI consulting would go into my high yield savings account offering a minimum of 4% returns plus investment accounts. I’d sign up for The Girl’s Manual to learn how to invest.
Now I have investments in dollars and I’m growing my naira savings on a monthly basis.
By month 6 at my VA job, I would actively start thinking of next steps in my career.
Knowing what I know now? the best paths for me would be Cyber Security or Cloud Engineering or Finance.
Why? They have very strong opportunities in the job market.
How will I decide which one to pursue?
I would either hire a career coach and pay them from my side income salary or I utilize ChatGPT to help me or I ask my TGM community.
I’d enter everything about me into ChatGPT including my first degree, my grades in each course and what I like or don’t like doing. And it would offer me a straightforward career advice based off my strong skills.
Finance - There are lots of opportunities in Account receivables, account payables, AML. These roles are typically always remote and pay between $25-$35 per hour. A first degree is required and certifications in any of the field you decide to pursue
Cyber security - lots of opportunities within the GRC space. And same goes for Cloud.
Once I decide which pathway works for me, I would register for classes that can help me learn quicker and faster or I learn by myself online if I enjoy doing that.
I would give myself 3 months to complete classes and exams and start actively applying.
I’d once again utilize ChatGPT to help me fix my resume and LinkedIn and build it to match my new area of work interests. There are numerous prompts online I can utilize.
Prompt : Can you highlight my experiences as a VA in a way that makes me suitable for this Account receivables job.
Once my classes are done and my resume is fixed and LinkedIn ready, I will focus on 10-15 job applications per day.
Pending when I get something, I would continue to be excellent at my other job, continue to host classes and continue to build ads for small businesses.
When things are slow either with the ads or classes, I will go a step further and learn AI automation in my free time.
Again, depending on my learning style, I could decide to learn myself on YouTube or sign up for TGM AI automation course where I could learn Zapier, Make, UI path etc.
I would reach out to the businesses I already created ads for and offer to help them automate basic things like order, delivery confirmation, reviews etc for a fee.
I’d create an account on upwork and other platforms showcasing my ability to automate.
I would speak to my current company and show them what I can do and things I can update within the company and hopefully that might get me a new contract.
Once the automation requests start to tickle in, I would now have 3 streams of side income - teaching AI content creation, helping businesses build AI ads and automating for small businesses plus my VA job pending when I get a new position in Finance or Cyber or Cloud.
I would hire a VA who is completing her youth service to help me with basic tasks so I don’t get overwhelmed.
By this time, interviews should be coming in for the jobs I applied to. I would utilize my TGM community where they can help me with interview practice.
If everything goes well, I get my new offer paying more than my current job.
I refer my current assistant to my current job so she gets something good going. I hire someone else to help me.
I start a new job in the new year plus a side hustle that brings me income in 3 different ways.
I increase my monthly investment in the stock market.
I use the side hustle money to buy real estate on a monthly plan.
I save some. And I use the rest to travel outside Nigeria on vacation.
If I get bored along the way because I like to do fun things and improve my skills and income, I’d learn how to trade Options and Futures in my TGM community so I can make an extra $2K a month. And this would be my other source of income to fund my travel dreams.
This is how I would change my life in 18 months if I lived in Nigeria knowing what I know now about the global job market. I won’t waste my time applying to entry level jobs. I’d create them with my businesses.
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But Miyyah this can not work. Actually, it can. We have TGM girlies who implemented this in their lives this year and they are thriving.
Fortune favors the brave. Can you see the theme of my entire post? It’s constant improvement. You will need to continually learn new skills to generate new income. Only those who do 10% more would succeed. The rest? They stay struggling. You can turn your entire life around with 12 months of consistency and hard work. Make that your 2026 goal and come back by this time next year and let’s see where you are at.
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