Youths are the central part of every growing economy m as their contribution to national growth cannot be overemphasized. As of 2021, Africa known to be the continent with the youngest population worldwide had around 40 percent of the population aged 15years and younger compared to a global average of 26 percent. In Cameroon, the situation isn’t anymore different with the nation’s youthful population (15-34 years) constituting 32.18 percent of the entire population. This is a pool of talents, energy, and dynamism any nation can look to for the needed development of a people.
Though loaded with a young and growing population, there seem to still be a lack in the sharpness of these young people’s capacity so as for them to bring the much-needed growth the nation will love to see from them. The role government is to play for this to be achieved can not be denied, by them creating favorable environments where these young people can strive and develop their potentials to the maximum and being the best version of themselves to the delight of the entire nation and continent at large. However, this article isn’t so much about the government’s role in youth capacity building than it is for young people’s awakening call for a conscious and deliberate personal development for improved competitiveness and employability.
A Struggling Educational System
Owing to an educational system which is more certificate and theory oriented than practical and skill identification and development oriented, more and more youths are graduating with little knowhow in their chosen field of study. This is causing a relatively low level of self-esteem in growing numbers of youths (fearing they don’t have the necessary skills needed to contribute to company or institutional growth¬) as they confront the very demanding professional world and job market. According to researchers at the African Development Bank, African universities have been producing too many graduates with costly degrees and diplomas that lack mastery of skills that are necessary in the 21st century labour market, In a new Policy released in June 2019 entitled Creating Decent Jobs: Strategies, policies, and instruments, the African Development Bank says most of the degrees awarded by African universities lack the academic rigour, relevance and career-focused skills to enable graduates to get decent jobs.
“Higher education is becoming less affordable, and its outcomes are often viewed as substandard. And many colleges and universities fail to help students graduate with the skills necessary to compete for high paying jobs in today’s workforce. Far too many graduates today (among the few who complete higher education) find themselves with costly diplomas and degrees and no direct connection to jobs. They often lack the most relevant academic skills and the career skills to get a good job,” the report states. “This translates into lost productivity and investment,” said lead researcher Dr Célestin Monga, vice-president for economic governance and knowledge management at the African Development Bank.
The report highlights how many taxi drivers in the Algerian capital of Algiers hold graduate and even postgraduate degrees in the humanities and social sciences. In Douala in Cameroon, many commuter motorcycle riders, aptly known as ‘bensikineurs’, hold advanced degrees in engineering, mathematics and physical sciences. Such situations are also common in other major African cities. “Yet, after their training, their skill sets do not appear to be in great demand in the labour market,” said Monga and his associates – Dr Abebe Shimeles and Dr Andinet Woldemichael, both lead economists at the African Development Bank.
It then become very important for many African youth to take upon themselves the necessary action and become consciously responsible for their personal development in scopes other than the school setting and by so doing increase their chances of being more competitive in the national and international milieu
An Additional Point
Government Action and Youth Neglect
Government in a bid to combat this situation has created different vocational and polytechnic training centers for diverse career orientations. As much as this brings in a considerable appeasement to the situation, yet more seem to still be done especially from the part of the youths. Generally, youth capacity building projects aim to recognize and improve youth work, non-formal learning and volunteering and link them to the job market. They also support regional and transitional non-formal learning mobility schemes to encourage the participation of youth in society.
As much as the importance of having A grades and schooling cannot be entirely denied, the bone of contention is that youths must seek for more than this, press to higher grounds of their personal development, for no one else than themselves can truly accomplish this feat on their behalf. And with the advent of technology and internet, it is very practical to learn to a large extent anything we desire online. Living in a generation that has an exceedingly large access to information than any other generation in history, you would expect youths in this dispensation to seize this opportunity. So, get a skill, learn a trade, develop a personal or group project, gain or up your technological knowledge (for that’s where the world is heading), learn to cook something special or new, get informed on your chosen field of study or otherwise, just engage in some useful skill acquisition, get your hands and clothes dirty if necessary. No funds to pay the training you desire? Then that’s your call to Volunteering!
Scource : @campeaciofficial
"The Power of Volunteering"
Much has been said on the issue of volunteerism, and different authors have given their takes as to what they think this term implies. Yet, they all seem to agree to the idea that" it is a selfless service done for no or little financial or material reward". Despite the popularity of this tool, it will seem it's applicability amongst many African (Cameroonian) communities is still very timid. Too many people underestimate the power and benefits of a thorough volunteering; hence it’s unpopularity amongst most youth today. Apart from the fact that volunteerism is renowned for skill development and often intended to promote goodness or to improve quality life, volunteering is also intended to make contacts for possible employment opportunities and empowerment. 65% of interns and volunteers get the chance to be retained or employed full time by the partner companies or organizations they volunteer with. However, it is important to emphasize that volunteerism is an act of service, that is; it is nurtured, watered and flourishes on a deep passion to serve - lest one gets discouraged in this venture.Volunteering is service to the world and service to God; it is giving and not taking. In so doing, you may simply be creating a platform for better things to come. Martin Luther King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?”Not only do volunteers have kind, caring hearts that yearn to help others; they are also physically healthy because of the work they do. Zig Ziglar once said " you can have everything you want in life, if you will just help other people to get what they want".
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