CAN ANYONE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

 We are at a crossroads as a nation. Many youths are unemployed and statistics are not very much in our favor. In the New Vision of 2nd December 2024 it was reported that over 15% of graduates are unemployed. It was reported that over 400,000 graduates are produced per year amidst a job creation rate of 90,000 jobs. Indeed it is a major concern for various stakeholders such as government and other stakeholders and that is why various reforms are being made. The National Planning Authority revealed that Uganda's skills match exacerbates unemployment with graduates often unprepared  for the labor market.

I normally have a privilege of interacting with the university students and I should admit that they are full of potential . However our concern is what awaits them after graduation? In fact after graduation some of them are totally stuck and this state of affairs requires attention. We need to note that over 70% pf Ugandans are below 30 years and a youthful population is an asset to the nation if well utilized. Nations such as Singapore though resource constrained have deliberately invested in their population where by when a graduate has a degree he or she must have a corresponding practical skill. We have seen that most entrepreneurs in Kikuubo are not degree holders but they are driving Uganda's economy. What explains this state of affairs? How come we have a generation of graduates (of course not all) who fear to say they are university degree holders? Why is it that many graduates only focus on looking for established jobs especially in Kampala and yet here are virgin opportunities in the country side? How come many youths are shunning agriculture yet it is the back bone of the economy? The other day I saw a group of youths who wanted to beat up staff of a sports betting company for failing to pay their returns.

Despite all the above the university graduates are a solution to the youth unemployment predicament. It starts with mindset change. It starts with university students acknowledging that there is a problem or challenge to confront. I sometimes feel disappointed when some graduates are offered a mentorship opportunity and they turn it down. As a youth mentor I have faced it with some university students whom I think believe they are beyond mentorship. We need to prepare the youths for the Volatile Uncertain Complex and Ambiguous(VUCA) future that awaits them. With technological advancements happening so fast any university student should feel concerned that chances are high that even before gradation their degree may have become obsolete. I get this fact from Brian Tracy who said that the rate of knowledge accumulation is so unprecedented.

In his book After University What Next Ambrose Kibuuka noted that there is no useless degree. Indeed this is a comforting for any university student. In fact a graduate can even use one course unit to create a job for himself and others. For example a student who has studied taxation can decide to become a tax consultant and is likely to be sought after by various companies. Perhaps the world requires graduates who are critical problem solvers who are bent on adding value to society at all costs. It is no longer enough for a graduate to focus on dropping applications to various companies without focusing on what value is he or she adding to society. History has showed us that the world pays problem solvers. Look at doctors . Some specialists are paid a lot of money simply because they solve complex problems facing humanity. I believe since every person is uniquely gifted in the same way  we can each add value to humanity. As we seek to resolve the unemployment dilemma that Uganda is facing we need to go back to the drawing board and engage the youth on the possible ways then can become problem solvers.

WAYS YOUTHS CAN BECOME AGENTS OF POSITIVE TRANSFORMATION

1.Have a long term vision for their lives.

2. Seek mentorship 

3.Understand and research social problems

4.Understand money management

5.Seek career guidance

6.The youths should not undermine voluntary work

7.Embrace continuous learning. Some youths after graduation even burn their books

8.Make good use of technology

10.Start small and think global.


It is true that we have youth unemployment. The Chinese say that wherever there is a problem there is an equivalent opportunity. Uganda has so many youths and they can turn into a blessing if efforts are made to nurture them into problem solvers and job creators . It has been done else where and even Uganda is not any different.

Phillip Kiryowa 

Personal Finance Coach

Advanced Empowerment Link

+256752615916

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