WHAT AWAITS RECENT GRADUANDS?

 It has been a moment of  joy for graduates of various universities such as Kyambogo. I am  extremely happy and I congratulate them upon this milestone. Having been once a student at university I know what it means to graduate. It is not easy. It requires patience and it costs money. Some parents even sell of their valuable property to educate their children. Congratulations to all the parents of the graduands. Education is key to the transformation of society. Universities play a critical role in nurturing future leaders of society. We applaud universities for the work that they are doing in transforming society. As we speak we have over 40 universities in Uganda.

The key question that I want to put across is what awaits the graduands. When all the pomp and fan fare are done what does the recent graduate resort to?  What do statistics show about the employment trends among the youths? Are the previous graduates really happy? Are all of them employed? Do they have access to capital for their businesses? Those are all questions that necessitate real answers. Do we have all the answers to the dilemmas that the youths are facing? Probably not. In writing this article am not attempting to have all solutions to the dilemmas that university graduates face. Rather the purpose is to enable the graduate to reflect on what awaits them as they transition into the real world of work. The truth is that change is hard and tough Without enough guidance it can become messy. 

A recent graduate require correct career mapping as they transition into the world of work. If one follows a wrong map they can ruin their future. In fact today's youths are at a cross roads. Unlike in the past when there was one university and students were assured of a job even before graduation today things are tough. One of the most pressing worries of university students is what awaits them after graduation. For long Uganda's education system has been blamed for nurturing job seekers than job creators. Our university education system normally tunes us to cram facts and reproduce them in the exams. So due to the nature of such grooming, we do not get surprised when most graduates enter the world of work expecting ready made jobs in formal institutions.

Recent statistics are not very appealing for a recent graduate. In a New Vision article it was stated that over 15% of university graduates were unemployed. In another article in the New Vision it was shown that over 500,000 university graduates were boda boda riders. This is a wake up call for policy makers to scrutinize these statistics and create an enabling environment for job creation for the youths. Some incidences of crime have reportedly involved young people simply because they lack access to means of survival.

In his book After University What Next, Ambrose Kibuuka challenges the university student to evaluate their course and experience while still at university. Some students due to lack of career guidance only concentrate on reading to pass exams. Other university students place all their fate in the academic transcripts. Other university students beyond studying are not involved in any cocurricular activities that can help them to build the necessary social capital. It is easy to find a university student who does not belong to any club or association apart from the hostel where they stay. Other graduates stop studying immediately after graduating. In fact some burn their books. What a tragedy. A degree is just an entry into the real world of life long learning. There is a lot to learn in the real world of work. Graduates have been blamed for being good at hard skills but weak on soft skills which are so key in the organizations. It is very possible to find a good engineer but who can not relate well with work mates. Other graduates are unable to express their value to the potential employer beyond the "good grades" on the academic transcript. What the employers require today are problem solvers but there is a tendency of graduates just making CVs from internet without evaluating their practical impact to humanity.

The other challenge that the university graduate will have to deal with is financial literacy. Our education system does not over emphasize this important aspect . I have heard of cases of where recent graduates spend all their first salaries on unplanned expenses. This is an indicator of the need for financial literacy training. Money is a bad master when the owner is not well trained. It is important that the graduate submits to financial mentorship from experienced professionals .

Graduates need to embrace collaboration in the real world of work. Our education system tends to make us prefer to read alone yet the real world requires people to work together especially in the area of resource mobilization. Did we know that the leading entrepreneurs in Kampala have a group called Kwagalana group. So if the wealthy have their own association what stops the recent graduates from either forming or joining established groups such as Rotary International . Networking is one sure way that can enable a person to get job faster.

Graduates need to volunteer their skills as they await their dream jobs. There have been many cases of people who have got jobs out of internships and voluntary work. The graduates need to get rid of the desire to become overnight successes. Great careers require time to build.

Graduates need to become problem solvers. Uganda is a developing country. This means that there are so many problems to resolve. The youths should be open minded and not wait for jobs but use the skills that they earned from the university to solve social challenges. I know of a student who failed to get school fees at university and she resorted to selling fish. Out of her passion she started a business that employs over 20 women and she has travelled internationally.

HOW A UNIVERSITY GRADUATE CAN BE RELEVANT IN SOCIETY

1.Have a long term plan for their lives

2.Mentorship is key

3. Have a positive attitude

4.Embrace life long learning

5.Volunteer their skills

6. Attend financial literacy training

7. Join associations such as Rotary

8. Use internet for research

9. Exposure visits 

10. Embrace discipline

Graduating from university is not a small accomplishment. It requires focus, dedication and determination. We congratulate the recent graduates upon this milestone. The key question is what awaits a graduate after putting off the gown? With the statistics shown above no graduate should rest.


Phillip Kiryowa

 Personal Finance Coach (CPC)

Advanced Empowerment Link

+256752615916

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