Adedoyin Jaiyesimi: Going for NYSC? You need a game plan
Lately I’ve found myself being drawn to the plight of corps members.
Maybe it’s because I recently passed out of the scheme and I was able to
experience its shortcomings and failures first hand. Whatever your view
of NYSC is, the fact remains that is a necessary evil that every
graduate has to face. I’m not here to bash the NYSC scheme; I think it
was a great idea that got lost in translation as our society evolved. I
want to address something that I find very worrisome amongst corps
members. It is the lack of a solid game plan.
Some may be wondering why a game plan is needed to serve your
country. I’m sorry to be the one to inform you; if you do not have a
game plan for NYSC, you will end up wasting one year of this precious
life that you have. The people implementing the NYSC scheme presently
are clueless with regards to the needs of graduates. If you are unlucky,
you will get posted to a local government office where your brain will
increasingly get retarded due to lack of stimulating and challenging
tasks. Let’s not forget to mention the bureaucracy and corruption that
are located at strategic points within the scheme to ensure that you are
frustrated till the point that you become disillusioned about Nigeria
as a whole.
There’s good news however. With a well thought out plan made ahead of time, you can survive the NYSC scheme and not only will you end up being a better person when you finish serving; you will also make positive impact. “What does this plan involve”, you ask. It’s quite straightforward to be honest. You first need to do a personal assessment of where you are and where you want to get to. This is especially important for people who have little or no experience in the corporate world. For example, if you want to work in an accounting firm after your finish serving you need to find out the steps you need to take to achieve that dream. The worst mistake you can make is to wait until a month till you pass out before you start thinking about this. It was be a little bit too late at that point. Back to my example, you may want to consider taking the ICAN or ACCA exams. Do your research on what it will take to do this then plan towards it. Put down a feasible time when you can begin. If you are not posted to an accounting firm, you could volunteer to be an intern in an accounting firm close to you to build up your experience. Forget about the money they will pay you for now. If you have to work for free, then do it. The experience you will gain is more valuable than the meagre stipend you will collect every month.
The next thing is to evaluate your skill bank. What skills do you have currently? What skills do you need that you don’t currently have? I love learning new skills so I’m always on the lookout for avenues to learn something new. Your service year is a great time to gain new skills. For most people, they have a lot of time on their hands when they are serving. If you don’t plan properly, you will waste this time. Learning a skill will not necessarily cost a fortune, depending on the kind of skill. A lot of people offer discounts to corps members. Take advantage of these. If you like to cook, enrol for culinary classes. Take a management course. Whatever it is, just make sure you make meaningful deposits to your skill bank.
Watch out for the second part of this article where I will share more tips on how you can make the most of the NYSC scheme. As imperfect as the scheme is, it provides an opportunity for you to set the course of your career and lay the foundation for future business relationships. Only the wise make the most of this.
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Photo: felicityglobal
There’s good news however. With a well thought out plan made ahead of time, you can survive the NYSC scheme and not only will you end up being a better person when you finish serving; you will also make positive impact. “What does this plan involve”, you ask. It’s quite straightforward to be honest. You first need to do a personal assessment of where you are and where you want to get to. This is especially important for people who have little or no experience in the corporate world. For example, if you want to work in an accounting firm after your finish serving you need to find out the steps you need to take to achieve that dream. The worst mistake you can make is to wait until a month till you pass out before you start thinking about this. It was be a little bit too late at that point. Back to my example, you may want to consider taking the ICAN or ACCA exams. Do your research on what it will take to do this then plan towards it. Put down a feasible time when you can begin. If you are not posted to an accounting firm, you could volunteer to be an intern in an accounting firm close to you to build up your experience. Forget about the money they will pay you for now. If you have to work for free, then do it. The experience you will gain is more valuable than the meagre stipend you will collect every month.
The next thing is to evaluate your skill bank. What skills do you have currently? What skills do you need that you don’t currently have? I love learning new skills so I’m always on the lookout for avenues to learn something new. Your service year is a great time to gain new skills. For most people, they have a lot of time on their hands when they are serving. If you don’t plan properly, you will waste this time. Learning a skill will not necessarily cost a fortune, depending on the kind of skill. A lot of people offer discounts to corps members. Take advantage of these. If you like to cook, enrol for culinary classes. Take a management course. Whatever it is, just make sure you make meaningful deposits to your skill bank.
Watch out for the second part of this article where I will share more tips on how you can make the most of the NYSC scheme. As imperfect as the scheme is, it provides an opportunity for you to set the course of your career and lay the foundation for future business relationships. Only the wise make the most of this.
———————————-
Photo: felicityglobal
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