WE CAN RESIST UNEMPLOYMENT

 Unemployment is high. That is what official statistics will say and it is a fact. However in relating with a big section of youths there are people who have defied the unemployment statistics. What are they made of and what can we learn from them? Am not denying that unemployment is real but we can beat the odds if we interrogate the causes of unemployment. One of the issues that has been raised by the employers for a long time is the quality of graduates that universities churn out. Iam not denying the fact that universities are doing a great job in skilling Uganda's youths to fit into the very complex and fast changing employment landscape.A number of graduates focus on passing exams as a magic bullet to gainful employment. One of the greatest fears of any graduate is to complete studies and not get a job. Amidst these fears there is hope for a creative youth. There is a person who will read this article with contempt but I believe there is a person who will say enough is enough and use whatever resources he or she has to make a positive difference in their community. 

The absence of well developed soft skills has been one of the major causes of youth unemployment for a long time. The nature of our education system has for a long time skewed us to passing exams rather than using what we have learned to solve society problems. That is why when a graduate completes university the first option is to look for a well paying job (which is not a bad idea but the economy produces only about 70,000 jobs amidst over 300,000 university graduates ).  The solution seems to advocate for a paradigm shift so that the youths are empowered to take responsibility for their success. It is easy to find a group of youths saying there are no jobs( which may be true but what can we do to change the narrative?). The companies that employ many people were started by visionaries and even the youths of today have ideas.

As a financial literacy practitioner I have always told the trainees who are mostly youths that there are very many opportunities for them. However many of them do not have the courage to look for them. They prefer ready made opportunities which are also scarce. A number of youths have been invited for capacity building seminars and have not turned up .This was because they did not have transport. The same youths will heavily borrow to make ends meet. This is evidence that there is a need for a paradigm shift.

HOW TO RESIST BEING UNEMPLOYED

1.   Have a clear vision for your life

2.Associate with people who add value to your life

3.Embrace vocational and technical skills

4.Embrace change

5.Have a positive attitude

6. Solve social problems

7.Embrace failure

8.Learn from mistakes

9.Embrace continuous learning

10.Embrace coaching and mentorship

11.Think long term


We can resist unemployment. I have met people who have never looked for a job. But within society there are plenty of people who say there are no jobs. The choice is yours.

Phillip Kiryowa

Finance and Leadership Coach

+256752615916

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THRIVING AMIDST UNEMPLOYMENT

 Ask any graduate what their worst night mare is and they will inform you that lack of access to a dignified employment opportunity is a big hurdle. Over 70% of Ugandans are below the age of 30 years of age. There are very many reasons why the unemployment rate needs to be addressed. Uganda has over 30 universities and all universities graduate over 300,000 graduates per year yet the formal sector produces on average 70,000 jobs. This mismatch is an indicator of the frustrations that the young people face. It was on media last year when I saw a group of able bodied youths who wanted to beat up staff of a sports betting company for failing to pay for their "Return on Investment" in Bugiri District. Iam not saying that all youths are involved in crime .What am trying to point out is that the probability of a youth without a job being involved in crime is high( after all there is a saying that an idle mind is a devil's workshop). Just this year there was youth who was killed
Read more

A SAVINGS PLAN CAN AID IN FINANCIAL ADVANCEMENT

 I remember during the Trainer of Trainers training conducted by Bank of Uganda we were encouraged to develop a savings plan. This was a key development because without a plan we may live in financial darkness. In my years of providing financial literacy across the country especially youths I have observed that the intangible practices that may be undermined play a big role in the big picture. I have been asked a question, "how can one save yet their needs exceed their income?. It is a tough question but the best practice remains that even in the hardest of circumstances we should prioritize saving .This is because we do not know what the future holds. As humans we forget so fast. Who remembers during the lock down of Covid-19 when people were not working. Life was extremely tough. It was an opportunity to reflect about the importance of savings during good times. A savings plan enables a person to determine why they are saving. It could be for school fees, buying a plot, a car an
Read more

WE CELEBRATE GRADUATION BUT AFTER THAT WHAT NEXT ?

 Uganda is officially dominated by young people. Over 50 %of the population are youths. With a high population the job market also shrinks yet people need to survive. It is the means of survival that create social pressure. The unemployment dilemma in the country can be dissected from different angles and each person or all stakeholders have a critical role to play.  Universities and other institutions of higher learning produce over 300,000 graduates per year. The job creation rate is about 70,000 jobs per year. This means that the job market is narrow. It is a common sight to see over 100 applicants for one job. This is a signal that something drastic must be done to change this trajectory. Development partners such as government, private sectors and donors such as Master Card Foundation are playing a critical role in addressing youth unemployment. In fact this suggests that fight against youth unemployment must be multifaceted.  During graduation season it is justifiable for any stu
Read more