By Wachira Kigotho
The 305,000 students who sat KCSE last year are now in search of careers.
Even before selecting degree or diploma courses they want to study, they would like to know their chances of getting jobs.
Hard facts on trends in the labour market that would enable students and their parents to make informed choices are in short supply.
The problem with the Kibaki regime is that it has been robustly talking of creating over 500,000 jobs a year since it came to power seven years ago but it has never produced a report or a simple handbook to guide young people intending to build careers based on those jobs.
Most young people are grappling in the dark, not knowing the demand in the labour market.
Most parents interviewed for this article professed ignorance of degree choices of their children. "Let my son get the degree and then we shall see what to do next," says Mr Jame Kimani, a parent. He seemed not to understand that a degree is not a magic wand. But, Ms Irene Onyango who graduated with a Bachelor of Management degree from a private university in Nairobi two years ago says: "We have nothing to manage. We are worse off compared to our colleagues who just studied for CPA, MCSE and Webmaster diplomas."
Most parents and students do not understand is some universities offer degree programmes for clerical cadres. Dr Patrick Weke, head of Actuarial Science and Financial Mathematics at the University of Nairobi, says apart from having a BSc in Actuarial Science (one of the most popular courses), to succeed in the filed one needs extra professional courses that can take up to eight years, meaning a student takes up to 12 years to become a certified actuary.
According to Dr Anna Vignoles, a Senior Lecturer in the Economics of Education at the University of London, value of certain degrees have been diminishing as a result of over-supply.
But whereas a degree might be a definite qualification to enter some jobs, employers worldwide are interested in skilled workers. "Labour markets everywhere have potential to accommodate increasing numbers of skilled workforce," he says.
The advice from labour experts is that to compete effectively in the stratified job market, one has to have relevant skills.
According to the internationally influential BusinessWeek magazine, complex business operations demand that graduates in commerce and business management obtain professional qualifications such as the CPA and ACCA if they intend to climb the career ladder. "Accounting firms want those who can sit for CPA examinations within a year or so after graduation," reports BusinessWeek.
Weaker prospects
The magazine noted prospects are weaker for the bachelor’s or master’s degree graduates in business administration without an accounting specialisation. Companies also look for coursework grades in economics, tax law, organisational behaviour and actuarial science.
Although actuary, financial analysis are some of the fastest expanding professions today, students intending to pursue those careers must be prepared to go beyond bachelor’s degree level. Those careers demand that graduates be highly literate in the relevant computer packages, leadership and communication skills.
High school leavers preparing for careers and future occupations must realise that if they want to get ahead in any field of their choice, they need post-secondary training and education that would eventually lead to specific credentials.
However, all is not lost. In the next 10 years, occupations in community nursing, pre-school teachers, automotive mechanics, hair-stylists and cosmetologists will be in high demand. The demand for fitness trainers and aerobics instructors and herbal medicine clinicians is also expected to increase.
Notably, these are professions that require limited training but a lot of hands on experience. No university education is required to join these vocations but can be well paying.
Closely allied are courses that require intense vocational training offered in diploma colleges including registered nurses, legal assistants, medical records and health information technicians, pharmaceutical technicians, teachers and physical therapists.
Close scrutiny of the Ministry of Education reports indicate demand for field education officers, quality assurance inspectors and other education managers are likely to increase in the next 10 years. The jobs require university education and in some instances higher qualifications.
Towards 2015, the demand for highly specialised financial managers, actuaries, medical doctors, university lecturers-in most-fields- biochemists, forensic scientists and researchers in different fields is expected to rise. However, these professions will require higher academic degrees and professional training.
Armed forces
KCSE graduates could also join the police. With the recent insecurity, there are indicators that the force might be expanded to the advantage of school leavers. Training in the police and armed forces is relatively short compared to other professions and might attract those who are physically fit. But those intending to rise in the police force are now required to obtain university education.
However, imbalances continue to exist between supply and demand in the labour market. For instance, the supply of graduates into the labour market indicate that over 70 per cent of graduates from public and private universities continue to receive one of four types of under graduate degrees — BA, general BSc, BCom and BEd (Arts).
