Graduates not doing enough in job hunting

Research shows 53 per cent of college graduates are unemployed or working in a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree.

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Research shows 53 per cent of college graduates are unemployed or working in a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree.

It takes the average graduate three to six months to secure employment chances after graduation by having a career-seeking strategy and previous work experience. Otherwise, their resume might be lost in a stack of hundreds for a specific job.

Internship is a robust competitive programme for college students and fresh graduates from university and other institutions of higher learning to get a chance to learn and apply corporate skills and knowledge and relate it to what they have learnt in class.

Career planning and preparation should occur throughout students’ academic studies. They do not need to settle on one area to pursue right away, and they can change directions.

Through internship, graduates access a wide range of learning experiences — like on-the-job training, job rotation, coaching and application of learnt skills.

Learning, growing and preparing for life and a career is what university is all about; reasons why college internships are vital in aiding career readiness, such as exchange of service for experience with an organisation.

During internship, classroom concepts suddenly become real tools of the trade as you interact and learn in a professional setting. After all, most internship experiences are formal foundations to careers. Moreover, not only do internships help to develop professionalism but also encourage character growth, commitment and self-motivation.

Internships are foundational in preparing students for the workforce. It provides opportunities after graduation in which a lot of employees seek career-ready college graduates who are well equipped with prior experiences and skills in a given field.

The level of graduate unemployment and graduates in ‘non-graduate’ level jobs versus average salary for those with a degree compared to those without it is so clear that, whilst holding a degree certainly adds monetary value, graduates are struggling to find work post-university.

Most students will complete an internship during their junior or senior year to increase the chances of it leading to a job offer. However, it is common for students to hold internships throughout the entire duration of their learning career to gain experience.

Graduates are not doing enough in their job search. Universities can only provide the foundation — the degree. The transferable skills that come with the degree are obtained through working experience.

Looking for an internship in Third Year helps one to develop professional aptitude, strengthen personal character and secure job opportunities.

Kelvin Omulama, Bungoma