DEAR WORKING PROFESSIONAL: EVEN WITHOUT A JOB YOU STILL HAVE VALUE

 A few weeks back over 9000 students graduated from Makerere University. There was a lot of jubilation from the graduates and their parents. This is justifiable because spending over 18 years in school is not a mean achievement. We congratulate all the graduates upon this milestone.

As the celebration is over , the key question is where are the graduates heading after university? For a long time our education system has prepared us to be job seekers and it is a good thing because without a job to earn an income life becomes hard.  

The essence of this article is to focus on those masses who have lost hope in life because they lack a formal job. Today the rate of job creation is far below the number of students who are graduating every year. There are over 30 universities in Uganda and all of them are producing graduates with the same qualifications. Today we have graduates who are wondering why they completed university.

I want to assure the graduate that  it is worth it to have a degree. What is required is to interpret the relevance of your degree to the community. What is the relevance of Bachelor of Business Administration and other degrees offered at university to the community is the question graduates shold be asking .With the so many pressing needs in the community we need to see synergy among graduates to solve social issues. We need group based thinking and problem solving. This is because the challenges facing the world are so enormous for a single individual to solve.

We have several examples of organizations that started from garages and today are global business entities. Grameen Bank started as a microcredit project but it went on to change the world. That seemingly small idea if well nurtured can end up creating jobs for countless individuals. In his book, After University What Next , Ambrose Mukiibi challenges today's graduates to think outside the box. Today employers are looking for graduates who are problem solvers . Today the banking industry is looking for employees who can develop digital platforms to enhance customer service.

The good thing is that every graduate has been blessed with creative ability. It is said that most of the business people in Kikuubo, which is Uganda's Central Business District are not degree holders but they are sustaining the economy. They are employing graduates. Where as many graduates are creative, more can and is expected from us. If a person without a degree can be so innovative, what stops a graduate from becoming very innovative. Education is meant to give us dignity to confront the world's challenges even without expecting any pay. All the wealthiest people in the world first focus on service before thinking of money. Money is a byproduct of serving many customers.

We need to reorient the graduates of today so that they can view their courses from an entrepreneurial lens. There are so many challenges to be solved in this country and they will require the creative capacity of every working professional and even those without formal jobs.

HOW TO ENHANCE YOUR VALUE EVEN WITHOUT A FORMAL JOB

1.Have a long term vision for your life

2. Embrace creativity and asking questions

3. Analyze your academic transcript so that you can find its relevance to the community

4.Seek to serve before you earn

5.Network. Nothing can be improved in isolation

Though formal job opportunities are scarce, there is hope for any person or graduate who is creative and seeks to solve social problems.

For individual and corporate financial literacy training contact:


Coach Phillip Kiryowa 

Personal Finance Coach(CPC)

Certified Master Trainer, Bank of Uganda 

Founder, Advanced Empowerment Link

0752615916


For Financial Freedom and Sustainable Enterprises


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