AFTER SCHOOL; WHAT NEXT- AYEOLA OLUWAFEMI MICHAEL

Micheal Ayeola

For Graduates and intending Graduates.

"How to make a living after school" is one of the questions most undergraduates ask themselves. Coincidentally, it happens to be the greatest difficulty faced by graduates in the country. Most undergraduates believe is that the challenges, stress and problems face while in school will come to an abrupt end and merriment will follow suit after their programmes of study. Well, if this is your mindset, I advise you have a paradigm shift right away because reverse is the case.

The issue of graduates not meeting their predominant needs can be attributed to the downslide in the economy among many other problems facing the Country. It is however, pertinent to understand that some still have a soft landing after graduation and enjoy the fortunes of their fathers, relatives who in one way or the other are related to politicians. They are the lucky few anyways!

Some graduates fail to identify they will have to strive hard day and night to be able to meet up with the demands of life. They see merriment in life after school during their mandatory youth service, but after the service year, they are faced with the reality of life.

The difficulty faced can be attributed to the increasing rate of unemployment in the country couple with the high number of graduates produced every year.

Statistics has shown less than 20 percent of Nigerian graduates are gainfully employed. This have been a pain in the neck of our government for a long time as they find it difficult to proffer lasting solution to this disturbing problem.

However, to solve this lingering problem, as an undergraduate, it is necessary to be self dependent through self employment. Taking up a lucrative business would have been a better shot, but the problem of high capital to start it can be intimidating. 

Consequently, the best alternative to solve this problem is for individual to be well acquainted or learn a skill inline with his/her passion because this requires little amount of money to achieve.

The bible says; "whatever you find your hand doing, do it well". Some of these trade courses are: PHOTOGRAPHY, HAIR STYLIST, FASHION DESIGNING, MAKEUP ARTIST, GRAPHIC DESIGNING, BLOGGING and so on.

As a graduate, you shouldn't limit yourself to credentials you have acquired, instead be an embodiment of intellectual assets and potentials of immeasurable values. Think of ways to survive outside your certificate or along with it. 

You need to discover yourself by finding out what people complement most about you, what you can do better as graduate, look for problems facing your community and be a solution to the community, which will definitely pave way for you.

Remember, you're more than what you think you are, if only you can think and make yourself successful today.

I hope this article answers the big question of "AFTER SCHOOL; WHAT NEXT?