By
Staff Reporter, NDOLA
Minister of energy and
water development Dora Siliya has urged graduates to strive to compete to get
ahead not to idle in same position or situation.
She says it's not how one
starts but how one end that matters.
“I eavesdropped a
conversation while in a restaurant. The young girl was telling some diners
about how she graduated from university last summer and today was her first day
at work in this particular restaurant.
“I thought about our many
young people back home with dreams of a great job after university. Sometimes
it does not turn out as we planned,” she says.
Ms Siliya says students
ought to use their times at higher institutions wisely.
“If you are just getting
into college or university for whatever course use the time wisely because once
it’s gone. It’s gone forever.
She says it pays to also
learn other skills.
“Learn everything not just
in the classroom but other skills too such as French or Portuguese, cooking,
gym instructing, office management, public speaking etc.,” she says adding that
“these skills will come in handy as part of your experience and preparation for
the job market. You will be a few points ahead of your friends. Besides you
might find something you like even better than what you wanted to study
initially.”
The former Broadcaster
attests that her public speaking skills made her get a job at Zambia National
Broadcasting Cooperation (ZNBC).
“It happened to me. After
graduating as best student at kabulonga girls the assumption was to do
Medicine. Without a university closure in 1989 I would never have gotten the
part time job at ZNBC.
“By the time UNZA had
reopened I was hooked on ZNBC and it took only a matter of time for me to
switch schools. Yes my parents were not impressed but the rest is now history.
She says the job market is
not easy anywhere in the world.
“You have to be saleable
beyond just having a degree or diploma. That training must result in critical
thinking, self-motivation, target and result planning and most of all it must
reflect in your performance,” Ms Siliya advises.
Ms Siliya further urges
graduates to always aim for the stars in their work and businesses.
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