….WHILE WAITING ON ASUU

I remember being a university student a couple of years back and the news comes to you that ASUU is going on strike. At first you don’t feel perplexed because you have no idea how long it will last and many students even see it as an opportunity to take a rest from the academic rigour. Not until months start counting and it starts getting boring by the day especially for those who go back home. They begin to pray that ASUU should call off the strike. But you could be always sure that it will take at least four months before your prayers get answered; well, I said four month because that’s the shortest ASUU strike I experienced as an undergraduate.
So while this strike is on, you don’t have to sit down there and relax or keep praying that the strike be called off. We both know those people don’t care about the youths. And an Adage says when two elephants fight the ground bears the brunt. Their children are outside the country studying; trying to secure for them a better future, so they don’t care. the best you can do for yourself is to take your life is in your hands. Take the bold step and do something rather than waiting.

Well, I will quickly share few tips with you on what to do while waiting on ASUU.
1. Get Certified.
2. Get an Internship placement
3. Get a vocational Skill.

Let me start with the first, Get Certified; See, certification is the only way out of joblessness and the best time to get certified is now. I’ll tell you why; many certification institutes have discount for students which means you have to take advantage of it; because once you graduate the discount umbrella covers you no more. Secondly, why procrastinate? If you have the means why not do it now instead of getting a new phone. The perfect time is always now, you might never get the same opportunity you have now again. There are a lot of certification you can get; I’ll mention a few; Oil and Gas certifications like General and Advance HSE, NEBOSH and OSHA certifications will make you a prospect. These certifications are very important and they haven take a lot of people out of the labour market. They are relevant in almost any industry or sector and if you think that your course of study will rob you the opportunity to work in your desired industry, well, I have a good news for you; there are oil and gas short courses that will avail you this opportunity.
Another important certification I will mention is I.T certification; you can get a certification in networking or programming while you wait on ASUU. This will not only give you an edge in the labour market it will also make you a potential entrepreneur. Well, I used the word ‘potential’ because not everybody realise this and not everyone have the desire to become entrepreneurs. Getting I.T skills have the highest possibility of making you an entrepreneur. What more can I say? GET CERTIFIED!! CERTIFICATION IS THE WAY!!

Second point is; Get an Internship placement; this might be a little bit hard in this country especially for those who do not have uncles and aunties in these organisations, but it should stop you from trying. Write a letter to as many of them that you have mapped out and will be willing to work at, send you CV along side, let them know you would be willing to intern in their organisation without getting paid. Of course, you shouldn’t be after the pay now, you should be after the experience and the opportunity that comes with it. Learning comes before earning you are still in your learning stage. And if you have few certifications already, it will boost your CV and increase your chances of getting the internship placement that is why I made the getting certification the chief point.

Well, the third one; Get a vocation skill is also important especially for those with the entrepreneur mind set. As a lady you might want to get some fashion designing, makeup or catering skills, there are several others though. And as a guy you might want to learn how to fix computers and phones or some computer software skills depending on your passion, you might even try the so-called ‘feminine’ skills I mention earlier or hair dressing. The trend is changing as men are becoming very successful in the line of businesses that was once believed to be feminine. Most women prefer the male touch to female. I bet these skills would certainly help you when you least expect.

written by Dapo Alabi
Oiltrain.org