Kelvin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, and has been struggling to get a well-paying job since graduating in 2017.
It has been his dream to work in one of the Multinational Oil Companies (MNCs) operating in the Niger Delta region immediately after he’s done with his studies.
But the more Kelvin applies to be considered for placement in any of the MNCs, the more he realizes why the word “difficult” exists. He’s, however, unrelenting due to the juicy pay and the prestige enjoyed by most oil workers he has come across.
Besides he keeps hearing the voice of his parents while they were advising him–during his university days–to “graduate with high grades and get a job in a reputable company” that’ll pay him handsomely.
Not being a staff in one of the oil companies and coupled with the fact that he has no business or any relevant skill have made Kelvin a man with a shallow pocket. The only income sustaining him is the meagre salary he gets from a private secondary school he teaches.
The story of Kelvin is fiction. Yet, as you may agree with me, it truly narrates the plight of many graduates in today’s Nigeria–and beyond.
Many, like Kelvin, are yet to realize that the days of graduating-and-landing-on-a-juicy-job are almost gone. The relatively high rate of unemployment seems not to be decreasing with its attendant effects. And most of the few available jobs hardly come with commensurate pay.
Not every (fresh) graduate can get his or her dream job, so we need to focus more on the acquisition of relevant skills as well as venture into entrepreneurship if we seek financial success and fulfilment in life.
Arguably, no country can absorb all graduates that join its labour market. You need to live with this sad reality and start seeking alternative ways of earning an income, in order not to bank solely on white-collar jobs and the like.
The world celebrates and richly rewards those who are excellent in one vocation or the other. One talent is enough to increase your pocket. Just as one “small” business you start today can become a world-renowned conglomerate tomorrow, with proper vision and management.
It’s time to stop waiting for and wailing over that dream job that’s taking too much time to come. And may never come.
Needless to say, the wealthiest in the world are employers; not employees. And those with amazing talents are some of the most celebrated humans on earth. You and I can be like them. Perhaps it’s time to learn and harness a skill or start a small business to make some income.
What else do you think graduates can do to not be frustrated?