The bottom up empowerment strategy is still relevant no matter the extent of employing technology with respect to talent alignment. There are some extremely good reasons supporting this, based on our continued research.
But first, we have in the recent past been invited to conduct seminars for form 1 classes, but always declined. Why? Unless they are immediately heading to form 2, and alongside due for subject selection exercises, there is nothing worth aligning. Why so?
Our empowerment strategy involves alignment of knowledge, already acquired for sometime, that could guide strategic direction or one’s life strategy. Ideally, the knowledge for form ones when still fresh from primary school, is definitely limited, thus inadequate for alignment.
Meanwhile, we in 2016, encountered one leading school in Nairobi, which sends all the form four students for psychometric testing, before selecting degree courses as expected. We found this to be quite a good effort of aligning talent of our future leaders in that school. However, after explaining the various stages involving talent alignment strategy, applicable to every student, the school went ahead and stocked our publication titled Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, in their Library, as a further guide.
The school administration realized that whereas the psychometric testing could be a good guide in career alignment, it will only rely on the knowledge already acquired even as other parameters, such as personality are considered. What if a student had made the wrong subject selections at the earlier stages? What of situations where students are technically oriented, but ventured into academic oriented schools or vice versa?
Once again, we in 2016, encountered a youngster who had acquired a degree in business studies specializing in Marketing. Four years since graduating, Mathew as referred to in chapter 12 of Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, was yet to acquire any worthwhile job. Time was ticking as he was 28 when graduating and now 32 when the matter was brought to our attention. Our advice was simple.
The family including Mathew needed to read Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, in order to critically assess what could have gone wrong. But before reading, the parents had sought further advice on how to determine the exact solution?
Our advice was simple and is articulated in Living Beyond Survival: No More Tiptoeing in Life. All parents need to know what task every child performs better, compared to others. It doesn’t matter whether it is academic or practical consideration. What particularly does a child do easily that others find difficult to execute?
In the case of Mathew, he wás found to be a technically oriented person, whose career pathway had been misaligned. Mathew rejoined school for a diploma course in Electrical Engineering, which he successfully completed after 3 years. The new knowledge led Mathew into becoming not only a successful, but also passionate electrical engineer.
The concern is; had Mathew undergone psychometric testing based on the academic oriented areas of study at form 4, could the career alignment findings have been the same? What if the same testing happened after he had completed university? It seems difficult to tell especially when the eventual career pathway completely conflicted with the areas of study.
The truth is that not many young Kenyans are as lucky as Mathew who acquired a second attempt of re-aligning his empowerment strategy. Many of them end up becoming frustrated and eventually venturing into various forms of negativities
As such, even as technology continues being employed in determining exact careers, it is best to be sure that one has followed the appropriate empowerment pathway, right from the beginning. Ideally, both parents and educational institutions definitely have roles to play on this, don’t they?
Rgds
Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach
Seasoned Speaker/Consultant Trainer on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Competency Based Curriculum-CBC Architect
Author of 1. KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, 2. Living Beyond Survival:No More Tiptoeing in Life
- The 21st Century Student:Are You Creating The Future Today? Also, Retired 5 Year Monthly Strategy Columnist (2013 – 2018) for The SME Today Magazine Phone 254772516210
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