Consider qualifications that increase your employability and Graduateness

THE need to learn and continue to learn (referred to as lifelong learning) is, nowadays, influenced by changes in the global world. These changes influence us in our daily lives — whether we are conscious of the influence or not. These changes force us “to adapt or die”. In this article I proffer valuable advice on critical factors to consider in order to increase your employability and Graduateness as well as your entrepreneurial skills. The need to think differently I have sadly observed that a number of people nowadays easily resign to their fate. Imagine a child on getting his or her O/A-level results or even attaining his/her first degree then stays home because “there are no jobs”. True jobs are not there at least for now but the truth is jobs will be there at some point. As parents we get equally lost on what it is we can do to ensure our daughter or son embarks on something that will increase his/her employability and Graduateness. Come to think of it some good day you get an advert requiring a marketing graduate with a qualification in web design and online marketing or graphic design or knowledge of PowerPoint presentation as well as professional report writing skills. Not only that another job invitation might require a marketer or accountant or buyer or transport officer with a degree and a professional qualification. There you go, “We didn’t do all these in my degree studies” No, boy, girl degree curriculum and professional qualifications curriculum address different things. The former might address knowledge matters while the latter might be concerned with skills and competence enhancement. No wonder people with a mix of these are capable of thinking differently — they don’t see neither do they think “boxes”. Instead they think unmindful of the box! I presume, dear reader, you have heard of people saying, “Think outside the box” or “Think as if the box never existed”. It is imperative that you think of opportunities that can help you raise your personal profile. Unless you do so you are doomed to become a good orator of the “I used to be . . .” narratives. Remember the analogy that, “Life is a terrible schoolmistress. She gives you the exam first and teaches you the lesson afterwards”.— Anonymous. Points attained at O/A-level I contend that some of the most successful entrepreneurs and even academics were not exceptionally good in school. They were not characteristic award winners with every test or examination written at school. In my view these people made it in life, because they attended to and heed their dreams and fantasies. Often our albatross (impediment) is that as people we have this dangerous habit of dismissing ourselves. We get affected by the “glass-ceiling” mentality whereby we see limitations instead of possibilities for breakthroughs, instead of avenues for exploration. In fact, we lack the Vasco da Gama mentality. The enthusiastic sailor and harbinger of imperialistic manoeuvres dared the dangerous seas to “discover” new places for the emerging capitalists. This anecdote exemplifies the need for us as people upon getting disheartening results at O or A-level to explore other avenues so that we move to better and rewarding possibilities. But a high number of people, upon getting their O and/or A-level results despair, wail, regret, and all other negatives until ultimately they run out of choices. Our advice is that even with the worst of results at either level you can still become the best you aspire to be. All you need to do is to pursue your dream, get help from colleges such as Trust Academy which offers FREE CAREER GUIDANCE always,. Visit libraries and the internet to research on your area of interest, talk to people in the position you aspire to be in as well. The starting point is that you must have a picture of what you want from life or where you see yourself in the future. This is referred to as your career vision. Remember destiny awaits the brave.

We are regularly asked the above question by our prospective students and even parents as they look around for courses to pursue. Rarely does it dawn in these people’s minds that Zimbabwe is part of the international community. Imagine a group of job-seekers standing by the company gate and the employer randomly approaches a person in the group with an instruction, “Count 10 people among you, I have a job to be done.” Dutifully the chosen “leader” counts 10 people excluding him, writes their names on a piece of paper and dutifully submits them to the employer. A little later the employer comes to shout out the names and poor “leader” realises he left out his own name. True, there are some qualifications which are never recognised locally, regionally or internationally. Accepted, there are a lot of bogus qualifications offered by some institutions but as Trust Academy we ensure that every qualification we offer is approved by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development hence be assured to get, through Trust Academy, a locally delivered qualification with global competitiveness.

Many times people simply avoid doing the right thing on the belief that they can’t afford the costs involved. True, when choosing to pursue a qualification it is important to consider all the costs involved, that is, the registration and tuition fees, membership fees, examination fees as well as the cost of study materials and even accommodation and your general upkeep. Ensure you get the correct cost information. There is a general belief, for example, that private colleges like Trust Academy charge exorbitant fees. The reality is that Trust Academy fees are on average as low as $17,00 per subject per month. Students get a minimum of eight hours per subject per month translating to $2,13 per subject per day. Come to think of it, how much some people spend per day on alcohol and beverages. Appreciated, to some people, these luxuries are equally important. We equally hear of students who take lessons at unregistered colleges of study centres under the influence the teacher, whose qualifications or background they don’t know, is very good! Ultimately they approach registered examination centres when they now want to register for examinations. Their results in the end are just as bad as their decision to study at an unregistered college under the guide of a dubious teacher! Equally you hear of people paying very high fees to get a college certificate in Till Operation. We hear students are paying between US$105-$150 per month for such a course compared to say ACCA, a locally, regionally and internationally recognised qualification, which cost $75,00 for three subjects per month. We further hear that on completion such students are attached in some supermarkets for months-on-end without pay! It is everyone’s good guess as to where they go at the end of the attachment period. Our simple advice to people out there is that wrong choices are very expensive. Just imagine the total examination fees you pay whether for academic or professional subject if you repeat a subject three or four times. Consider alternative pathway qualifications Instead of thinking that by failing the world has ruthlessly crumbled on you we encourage the O and A-level graduates to seek guidance on how else one can achieve her/his dream plan. These days there are a variety of locally and internationally recognised and respected qualifications on offer which one can embark on with or without any previous academic qualifications. Such qualifications have added advantage or benefits to the student as on completion the student is really in demand with employers and has increased career prospects. The following qualifications are worth considering:

1 The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) — currently new students who are studying through an ACCA Learning Partner college like Trust Academy do not pay the initial registration of 79 pounds. Rather they are given a 60 percent discount thereby are required to pay only 32 pounds. All they need to do is to bring original copies of the following documents: birth certificate, ID or passport, O-level certificate or result slip, A-level certificate or result slip and two passport size photos. These documents are scanned and immediately returned to the student. The benefitting student is then required to take up lessons at Trust Academy. In addition ACCA exams for the first eight papers are available as computer-based examination (CBEs). Trust Academy is a computer-based examination (CBEs) centre. These examinations can be taken at any time a student is ready for the challenge.

2 The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) — the CIM is the world’s leading professional marketing body. Studying for this qualification guarantees that your doors to qualified success are opened widely. You indeed become an exceptionally unique marketer.

3 The London Chamber of Commerce & Industries (LCCI) — this examination board offers group diplomas in the following professional fields: public relations, marketing, selling and sales management, advertising as well as a certificate in Customer Service

4 The City & Guilds Diploma in Business Skills — Trust Academy offers the Secretarial Office Administration Topflight diploma. This is ideally for those who want to become high earning secretaries working for reputable local and international organisations including humanitarian organisations, universities as Administrative Assistants

5 The Association of Business Executives (ABE) — this is a unique three-in-one qualification. Because of this characteristic the graduate is spoilt for choice as to whether to work in the blooming tourism industry, the growing travel sector or the ever innovative hotel industry. ABE also offers a rounded qualification in Business Start-Up and Entrepreneurship.

6 The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport (CILT) — this is a must-have qualification for people who aspire to pursue a career in logistics and transport. There are massive and attractively rewarding opportunities, locally, regionally and internationally, upon acquiring this qualification.

In essence training and continuous development programmes are interventions aimed at assisting people in acquiring job-related technical qualifications. As such avoid the ego that this qualification’s content or curriculum is similar to what I did before. Mind you, similar isn’t the same !

Trust Academy offers FREE career guidance and counselling hence invites you to benefit as well.

Herbert Taruwona Mbindi is a passionate career guidance and counselling adviser. His key motivation is to help people make a difference in their lives. Feedback to: email mbindi@trustacademy.co.zw, WhatsApp 0773616665 or call 0712212179.