Graduates turn to online platforms as traditional job market fails to deliver

However, for many recent graduates, that dream has become increasingly distant.

Widespread unemployment has driven many young people to seek work through online platforms, where they often create content such as photography or dance videos.

What’s striking is that many of these young people hold university degrees.

In Kisii County, 24-year-old Ogetto Enock, a film studies graduate, shares how the lack of formal job opportunities has pushed him to pursue alternative income sources online.

“It’s tough. We’ve studied, but there are no jobs. We have to hustle online,” says Ogetto.

Others, like Enock Kibet, a graduate in accounting, are also turning to street photography as a means of survival. “I studied accounting, but there are no jobs. Street photography is what keeps us going,” he explains.

Mary Ann, a TikTok creator, adds, “I rely on TikTok gifts and want endorsements to survive.”

This trend extends beyond Kisii to cities like Nairobi. While many still hold onto the hope of securing a 9-5 job, TikTok influencer Edwin Enock Otieno has found success on the platform.

A third-year student at JKUAT, Otieno's TikTok earnings sometimes exceed what he would make from a regular full-time job.

“I bought a camera and realized there’s a niche for me. 9-5 jobs are tough to find,” Otieno says, sharing how he creates videos for clients and works with dancers who pay him for his content.

Edwin’s story is not unique. Thousands of graduates and students are increasingly turning to online platforms after struggling to find formal employment.

In Nairobi, the dance group Team Blaze Kenya on TikTok has found a way to earn through gifts from their followers, which they convert into cash. “We started this group last year. We create dance content and other videos,” says Spin Syco, one of the dancers.

King Jaydey, another member of the group, shares, “Followers send gifts, and we turn them into money. The highest I’ve received was 94K on my birthday.”

Sandra McCp, a fellow TikTok dancer, adds, “Social media offers so many ways to earn.”

This growing trend underscores how many young graduates are moving away from traditional employment in favor of online work, making it their primary source of income.