WHAT SHOULD I DO TO ENGAGE MYSELF AFTER HIGH SCHOOL WHILE I WAIT FOR MY UNIVERSITY ADMISSION?

Congratulations! So you just finished secondary school but arrgh, staying at home has been so boring and the admission list seems to be taking forever to roll out.

Well, it’s smart not wanting to stay idle. But the big question is what’s going to engage you?

Many young school leavers opt in for jobs as clerks, sales persons, but most especially factory jobs and teaching jobs.

Although it can’t be proven true, I think 8 out of 10 primary schools have at least 1 SSCE holder as a teacher. But I think before to spend this precious time on anything, you need to consider some things.

Will I gain experience that will have long term benefits? It’s not all about money. You should hunger for knowledge and experience that will build up into the future. Have it in mind that whatever you do should be profitable to you in university or maybe after. Make long term bets.

Learning or acquiring a skill in computing, hair care, tailoring, mechanics, electronics, catering, bead making, painting, radio electronics, aluminium work and metal work, art work, Web & Graphics designing, etc. is not just going to engage you today. It can take you places and keep you places in your future.

Is it CV “append able”?

This question goes in hand with the previous. Do ask yourself, “Years after this Job, can I scribble it on my resume?”

There are a couple of medical doctors; pharmacologists wanna bees working at pharmacies, orthopaedic home just to gain a forehand experience on what they want to do. For example, attending conferences or doing things in your community that has to do with your career path can help.

Not all experiences should relate to your degree anyway. Sometimes you see an A working in K company. You could say it is so because of corruption BUT it is not always so. It is because the person has done or engaged in something relating to K once upon a time.

Is it legal and parent approved?

If you are reading this, there are high chances that you are a teenager and still under your parent’s care. There so many Jobs most teenagers engage themselves with. There are so many Jobs out there. Like Factory work, marketing (looking into it critically) among others may not be too safe and legal.

Mum and Dad may not like that but you have to respect that. There are so many jobs that the government and global child right laws may have ruled up against your kind of work. E.g. factory related jobs where conditions are terrible for even adults.

You may also……….

·       Work in a cyber café.

·       Render typing services to schools around for their newsletter and exams.

·       Work in a bakery.

·       Do laundry for households in distant or nearby neighbourhoods.

·       Put in your skill/service into a creative business or start one.

Courtesy: Teens Leaders retreat 2015 bulletin.