IS IT ONLY MONEY THAT SHOULD DECIDE A COURSE/CAREER A STUDENT SHOULD TAKE?

 A few days a go  I asked a senior three student what he wanted to become after his studies. He noted that he wanted to become an engineer. I went on to ask him why he wanted to become an engineer and he told me he wanted to earn a lot of "money". I asked him if he has ever sat down with a successful engineer so as to guide him in his decision making. He was clueless of the next response. What does this signal? That many students are studying but without a clear sense of direction. The youths need guidance in order to maximize their God given potential. In coaching we are trained that each and every human being has an unlimited potential. We are a bundle of immense possibilities. 

Parents are playing a very important role in shaping the lives of their children by paying school fees in a challenging economic environment. We give them credit. This is because the best gift a parent can give a child is quality education. However the missing link is personalized career guidance. Most of the successful leaders who have left a mark in the world did not succeed by accident. They were intentionally mentored by successful and experienced mentors. A case in point is Dr. Ben Carson who used to be the worst student in class but went on to become a neurosurgeon. He is best remembered for separating the Siamese twins. He was encouraged by his mother that he made it in life.

I want to interrogate the issue of whether money should be the only yardstick for choosing the right career path. The youths especially of today are a very ambitious lot thanks to technology and Artificial Intelligence. Some even counter argue leading authorities. This is not bad but it does not replace right career guidance. Last year there was a youth who was arrested for suspected drug trafficking at Entebbe airport. The pursuit of money requires a delicate balance. Money is made with the right attitude and mentorship. Just this year a youth was killed by a mob for killing a prominent businessman. 

We are living in a generation where money(paper money is the major indicator of success).This is not to mean that the pursuit of money is bad but it s not the only indicator of success. There are many leaders who may not be making a lot of money but they are shaping lives and mentoring so many young people. If their sole focus was to make money where would society be? Choosing a course simply because one wants to make money is not sufficient. Many students are no longer opting for traditional courses such as Law and Medicine. In the past these were an automatic gate pass to the world of employment. But today we have lawyers and engineers who have opted for business. The point is that focusing on amassing wealth using money as an indicator for a choice of a course is very insufficient.

FACTORS A YOUTH SHOULD CONSIDER WHILE CHOOSING A CAREER

1. Seek advice from successful and trained mentors

2.Seek advice from teachers

3.Discover and utilize talent

4.Engage in community activities

5.Read news papers

6. Set clear goals 

7.Live intentionally

8.Associate with successful people

9.Seek parental guidance

10.Avoid peer pressure

11.Think long-term

12,Attend career guidance seminars.

13.Think Big


Money is an important facet of life. It is very appealing to the young people who form the majority of the population. But I highly doubt one can have a meaningful life if it is the only yardstick for choosing a successful career. The youths need help in choosing the right and purposeful careers.

Phillip Kiryowa

Finance and Leadership Coach

+256752615916


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