This week I am inspired by the experience of a Lady Customer who had sought Career counseling sometimes in May 2022. Though I had last year, shared the experience in this forum, it is fair to highlight some insights, as well as the latest developments.
Diana, if we may refer to her as such, was then 41 years old. She is married and has one child, who should now be heading to grade 7. Upon graduating from university, with a degree in BA Economics, Diana had secured a job as a cashier in one of the leading local banks, where she served for many years.
By around 2018, Diana had risen to the post of customer service supervisor, but had already lost the passion of working in the bank. In any case, her career growth was quite slow and therefore not very encouraging. Diana decided to leave the bank and upon being paid her terminal dues, she proceeded to University for a Masters degree in Finance.
While in class, Diana realized that all her classmates had already acquired the Certified Public Accountants of Kenya qualification – CPAK. She took a break from class to first pursue the CPAK qualification. Luckily, she had acquired the first part, while in the bank and remaining only 2 parts.
Within 2 years, Diana cleared CPAK qualification and resumed the Masters Degree Course, which she completed at the end of 2021. As we met in May 2022, Diana needed to be guided on how to re-align her career and secure a job that will constantly derive her desired fulfilment.
After two Career counseling sessions and reading of the KICD approved Career Dynamics in the 21st Century, Diana was good to go. However, it was advisable for her to focus on only two industries. That is the only way she could easily secure a job related to both her previous and now new credentials.
The banking industry where Diana could focus on jobs in Finance or Audit departments was the first focus. The second one was Audit firms, particularly those that target the banking industry.
The good news is that in October 2022, Diana secured a job in an audit firm that focuses on the cooperative movement. She is today a passionate and focused employee, who is aiming to continually grow in her new finance oriented career. Why share this information.
In the same first week of January 2023, I chatted with a friend whose son graduated with a Bachelor of Information Technology – BBIT degree from a leading private university in 2018. Up-to now, the youngster has never secured any job. In fact, he has changed course and is back to school pursuing a film technology course.
As such, jobs of today are no longer secured on the basis of academic qualifications only. Rather, the alignment of the education acquired is critical. What does that mean? In the 21st Century, the young and old should align themselves with personal “default settings,” if expecting to be continually acceptable, as well as relevant in the market place.
This means that we are all genetically aligned to one form of career or the other. Luckily, some are early in their lives able to discover that alignment. Others discover the same as they continue struggling to find their space in the market place. The good news is that those struggles may not any more be necessary, once the right expertise is embraced.
Ideally, the role of every educationist today, is to as much as possible help those under their care to somehow find their default settings. Most importantly, we are now in the era of creativity and uniqueness. Incidentally, that should be the main focus of the Competency Based Curriculum, but only if properly implemented, isn’t it?
Rgds
Mwangi Wanjumbi (MKIM)
Personal Empowerment Coach,
Speaker/Trainer/ Consultant on Strategy, Performance, Change Management and Leadership.
Seasoned Trainer of Trainers,
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
Welcome to our YouTube Channel under Mwangi Wanjumbi – Empowerment Forum
Latest Upload
Recent Comments