By Dr. Uchechukwu Ogah
Did you remember when all you needed to succeed was the ability to read and write English? Is it still in vogue? No!
Did you remember when the era of university degree alone gave you chances of getting a good job with a fat salary? Is it still in vogue? No!
Did you remember the era of Masters degrees and PhD? Any holder of same got the highest-paying jobs then because they are sought after? Is that era still in vogue? I doubt!
Did you also remember the era of foreign degrees? Any holder of same got countless number of offers from blue-chip companies? Is it still happening? Your guess is as good as mine.
All of the foregoing no longer happens rampantly because now is the era of skills, vocation and crafts. Era of functional education, not formal education. The era of what you know and what you can apply using your brain or your hands to make profits. Though formal education is still good but functional education is better because it equips you with skills especially new age/digital skills.
Have you now seen why the foregoing era of Masters degrees and PhD no longer feature prominently? If I am permitted to ask you: what are you doing to remain relevant in this emerging era?
I hope you are not still carrying your certificates and “queen’s English” about with obsolete knowledge? Or, you are still blaming government for not providing you with white collar jobs?
Did you not know that “WORK” as we knew it ten years back has changed? Are you also aware that by 2025, machines and robots will have cleaned out 800,000,000 jobs and new labour demands will evolve?
Are you preparing for the future work or you are hoping to cross that bridge when you get there?
It will be in your best interest to start now to UNLEARN, LEARN AND RELEARN.
Invest in yourself, upgrade on a daily basis. Pay the price. You can’t afford the price of ignorance and poverty. It’s too expensive!
Help realign the priorities of those you love including you so that they remain relevant during this emerging era by exposing them to profitable new-age skills.
Have a great week.
*Dr. Ogah is the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development.