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Opinions of Wednesday, 25 September 2013

Columnist: Naquentera, Joseph

White –Color Job for Graduates feasible?

Working on a noble job of your heart, whiles enjoying salary, alongside with some allowances is a dream for every graduate. In the Universities/polytechnics, students face a lot of financial challenges on campus. The cost of handouts from lecturers and accommodation fees alone is very gargantuan, and in the quest of struggling to change this status quo on campus, some enter into small businesses either selling of credit cards/transfer, clothes/shoes, ice kenkey and Soobolo drinks etc. at their various hostels. This venture by some students entering into retailing businesses on campus has adverse effect on their academic performance. Nevertheless, other students pass through the University/polytechnics without any financial interference. This is destiny, some were born with Golden /silver spoons in their hands and others wood/rubber spoons .All these for-mentioned challenges faced by students in the various Universities creates some sort of trauma that has a materially effect on Graduates decisions in hunting for jobs.

Though a lot of youth have had access to tertiary education, however the expanded access to education has not correspondingly given rise to expanded economic opportunities and job creation. Unofficially unemployment in the country is estimated to hover between 25 and 50% and is even higher as one moves from the south to the north. Government offices are now chocked up with employees who have about 25&30 years to work before going on pension. Some greedy workers even go to an extent of forging their birth certificates in order to work for a long time ‘’what a country’’. Many private organizations that should serve as supplement in solving unemployment issues in the country have now turned into family own properties and businesses where qualify personnel’s are denied the opportunity because of ethnocentrism and tribalism .A broader picture emerges when graduates waits for two years in the house without a job. Some try to cover-up the engulfed misfortune in their lives by moving into any work available irrespective of the work stature.

Graduates are always advice to venture into entrepreneurship than to look for office job. Quiet recently, the labour officer in the Ashanti region Ms Gorman told the mirror news paper that,unlike the past when establishments trooped to the labour office with vacancies to be filled, this time officers from the various labour offices in the region have been going round establishments to find out whether there are vacancies to be filled. ’’Generally the results have not been as positive as we expected as the jobs are simply not available’’. she stressed. The question is, where is the resources or funds that would be used in the establishment? Yes, it is undeniable fact that business establishment does not require huge sum to start with however, the uncertainties and risk accompany with fresh businesses alone deters some graduates from entering in to entrepreneurship. I believe, if our educational system can be tailored to self employment creation and the government funding graduate entrepreneurship just like some Asia countries like Japan and North Korea, the influx of unemployment graduates would be curbed if not solved.

What do you also think about the unemployment crisis in relation to graduates in the country. In fact, it is very pathetic to see graduates panting and palpitating unabatedly all in the name of chasing jobs. Let’s dialogue. Naquentera. J