The most exciting time in a young adult’s life is usually when they enrol at university or college.
By Request Machimbira
This immediately ushers them into some “freedom” and life appears to be promising full value. Graduation day marks the climax of post high school excitement and all of a sudden all hope is dashed the moment post college life begins.
But, the question is, at which point should people start navigating the post graduation dilemma, especially for those believing that a white collar professional is their ultimate destiny?
Unemployment is believed to be around 80% and the economy is not really creating new jobs.
Companies have to deal with retirement deferment requests by older employees and effectively this shuts the door for young graduates who continue to be churned in numbers from the State universities, Polytechnic colleges, etc. This scenario suggests a new thinking towards navigating the employment dilemma. The following are suggested action points on how to navigate the employment dilemma.
Career Orientation Revolution A career has to be understood as something that accords somebody a living. This does not necessarily need to be an office job. Schools and colleges must design career orientation programmes that are not only white collar-inclined but also entrepreneurially-focused. There has to be an examination of the economy and the opportunities that it presents at any given point in time.
Seeing an opportunity requires competencies in environmental scanning and identification of opportunities. This cannot be done by somebody who is desperate to get an office job at the expense of a lucrative entrepreneurial prospect.
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Career orientation has to be revolutionised and focus must be equally placed on entrepreneurship. The common cry is that there is no funding but with the competition that is in the financial services sector, bankable projects will surely be funded.
According to Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich, “Truly, thoughts are things, and powerful things at that, when they are mixed with definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a burning desire for translation into riches…”
The challenge facing the current generation is that they waste a lot of time waiting to get a job. It is not an offence to try something. Get up and knock the bank manager’s door with a project proposal. It is better to fail than to fail to try.
Tertiary Entrepreneurial Clubs So much valuable time is wasted during college time. It is time that students begin to forecast life after college and begin to invest wisely into that time. It is time for students to form tertiary entrepreneurial clubs and start to have a feel of business.
Remember that Bill Gates, the world’s second richest man, had to leave college studies to pursue his dream in Information Technology. Today, Microsoft is one of the largest companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is possibly the largest charity organisation in the world.
I am yet to hear that Bill Gates has graduated. The degree is not necessarily a formula to a living. However, it must empower you to have a better view of the world.
Request Machimbira is the Group CEO for Proficiency Consulting Group International and Strategy World Consulting. Feedback: [email protected] Phone: 0772 693 404/ 0776 228 575
