WHY EVERY YOUTH NEEDS A BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY

 A certain youth reached out to me and opened up that he had struggled to get a formal job for the last 3 years. This is not a strange phenomena in today's  world. Indeed the unemployment statistics are glaring. Research shows that over 70% of Ugandans are below 30 years. One of their biggest challenges is access to meaningful and dignified employment. This  is recipe for disaster because no nation can be safe when its youths lack access to a source of living. In a recent media publication it was pointed out that over 500,000 university graduates are boda boda riders. Gone are the days where a university students were assured of a job before graduation. Prestigious courses such as Law and Medicine are no longer shortcuts to direct employment and wealth creation.

Despite the above situation the youths can change the narrative. A lot is being done by the government through programmes such as Parish Development model and other youth livelihood programs to empower the youths with mindset change and entrepreneurial skills. Private sector players such as Equity Bank have developed innovative loan products aimed at enabling the youths to expand their businesses with affordable credit. In my journey of training the youths in entrepreneurship and financial literacy across the country I have seen a sense of determination among the youths in charting the way forward. Uganda has very many youths with innovative ideas and even universities are playing a critical role in introducing entrepreneurship in most courses. This is a step in the right direction. The introduction of internships for university students enables them to be exposed to the actual work place and it opens them up for wider choices.

What is missing is on the part of some of the youths who still think it is business as usual. I have interacted with university students whose sole focus is to read and pass exams. They do not know what awaits them in the real world of work. Gone are the days when an employer solely focused on the marks that a graduate earned. In fact Brian Tracy said that information becomes obsolete very fast. The moment one graduates is the day their degree becomes outdated( It sounds pessimistic but it might be true). The youths of today need a personal revolution to change their paradigm shifts about their lives. They need to make their presence felt in the market and not to wait for external forces to create opportunities for them. This is what is pointed out in Blue Ocean strategy a book written by W.Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne(2015). Though this book mostly targets companies, the lessons apply to individuals as well. The blue ocean strategy shows how an individual can get out of the red ocean of bloody competition and into a blue ocean of uncontested market space characterized by new demand and strong profitable growth. Since Brian Tracy noted in his book The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success that every individual is a company, the lessons in the Blue Ocean strategy can enable any person especially the youths to position themselves in the already competitive global market market that is full of opportunities for those who are prepared. This position is further validated by Ambrose Kibuuka Mukiibi in his book After University What Next where he challenges Uganda's graduates to  reexamine their perspectives about the courses they undertake. He points out that there is no "useless degree"

HOW YOUTHS CAN POSITION THEMSELVES IN THIS CENTURY 

1. Begin with the end in mind

2.Join Master minds

3.Invest in personal development

4.Learn about finances

5. Invest in life long learning

6. Focus on service as a gateway to wealth creation

7.Mentorship and coaching

8.Build strong brands

9. Invest in technology 

10 .Develop a curious mindset

11.Network

12.Develop leadership skills


Uganda's youths have a lot of potential. In fact Uganda was ranked as one of the most entrepreneurial countries in the world. What is missing is enabling the youths map put their course in the competitive and global world. Though the Blue Ocean Strategy is addressed to companies there are many lessons that an individual can embrace to expand their opportunities in the world.


Phillip Kiryowa

Personal Finance Coach(CPC)

Advanced Empowerment Link

+256752615916


Comments

  1. Anxious NiwamanyaNovember 21, 2024 at 12:18 AM

    Thanks Philip for this wonderful insight. It's educative and youths can learn from this especially university students and graduates

    ReplyDelete
  2. PHILLIP KIRYOWANovember 23, 2024 at 9:00 AM

    You are welcome

    ReplyDelete

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