JOBLESSNESS AND THE PURSUIT FOR A CAREER
By Chief Obaze
Invest in the youths to have a sane society
Youths are the future investment of any nation
Career can be seen as a desired profession or a means of livelihood which a person undertakes as a permanent calling from which he gets income to meet his needs.
The Oxford Advanced Learner Dictionary, defines career as a way of making a living; a profession.
The globalization as well as technology advancement of the world today has provided man with greater competitive career opportunities to choose from. Hence some persons are being trained to be Legal Practitioners, others to become Medical Doctors, others are Engineers, Teachers and lots more.
These professions amongst others most times requires special talent, serious study and commitment, thereby making those that choose them go through rigorous studies from primary to tertiary institutions and even further their studies for additional certification.
The society today has made it difficult that after a person had gone through these career struggles and successfully graduates, he is faced by another struggle of getting a job.
Despite the technological advancement and the establishments in the society today, it is still filled with more unemployed than employed graduates. That is why many graduates are referred to as “stay at home graduates” and that resulted in many professional graduates going into petty businesses. Most people especially the youths still depend on their parents for upkeep even after graduating. That has, to a large extent defeated the reason they were sent to school in the first place to be educated and get engaged, (be employed or be self employed) depends on the career. In today’s world, jobs are gotten based on ‘who you know’ It is disheartening to state that even the youths that are able to secure jobs, most times pay dearly for it in cash or kind, and that I must say is the fruit of corruption.
Corruption has eaten deep into our society, but will talk on it, as it affects the topic.
The government has not been helpful with regard to creating enough job opportunities. There are lots of undergraduates in the various higher institutions of learning, and that means, more people graduate yearly, they serve the nation on a compulsory National Youth Service Corps, NYSC and thereafter, they go into the labour market to seek for employment so as to be able to fend for themselves as well as others. There are no provisions made for the youth after the compulsory NYSC program. What is the government doing to remedy the menace of unemployment in the society?
Most people go to school to get education so they can have a gainful career to provide for their families, but the big question is, are they guaranteed of job after many years of study? I believe that what keeps the youth going is ‘Hope’ for a better future.
The way forward is nothing but change! The government needs to critically look into this and provide a lasting solution to job creation with true policies to that effect, creating jobs and giving the yearly graduates hope for a future means of livelihood would also give parents and guidance a sense satisfaction after giving a lot to have their children and wards respectively educated.
Government should as a matter of urgency develop achievable policies to remedy the situation of unemployment ravaging the country, for it is better to invest in the youth so as to have a sane society and when that is done, crime rate is reduced to its barest minimum.