The Missing Link for Job Creation by Successful School Leavers

You don’t have to be a professional researcher to prove the above-stated phenomenon of our time. Any random selection of classic entrepreneurs you know will suffice. Nearly all the big and small winners in that field share a common trend of little academic success overridden by vibrant stamina and enthusiasm finally culminating in triumph.

The only puzzling question remains as – what drives them? Incidentally, even failure incurred along the way further builds them for the better and does not devastate them; they remain resilient go-getters.

What is the Missing Link Then?

The simple reason is that while teaching involves giving knowledge, skills and instructions; touching or inspiring for that matter,  refers on the other hand to influencing emotions (awakening of the spirit), which is an indispensable ENERGIZER against fear and despair for any undertaking, given that entrepreneurship is a risky venture.

This rhymes with the ideology of renowned scholars like Galileo who said, “you cannot teach anybody anything just help them find it within themselves.” In other words, it basically takes inspiration for one to fulfil their aspirations against all odds.

In that regard, we can consider what is happening to the hitherto popular subject; namely, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, offered in secondary schools at both “O” and “A” level up to university and other tertiary institutions, covering 4 to 9 elaborate years! It is a pity that the anticipated objective of producing job-creators rather than job-seekers that justified its inception has apparently never been realized! Students internalize business ideals and pass out with merit as giant academicians of entrepreneurship yet remain apathetic & fearful of using that mastery to innovate anything of their own; citing ostensible reasons e.g. lack of capital and logistics hence defying the very definition of an “entrepreneur”.

They desperately surrender to other people and end up being used as pawns or mere performers/actors (working according to set guidelines) and not producers (bringing something into existence on their own). Besides, some people have anxiously resorted to endless studying to avoid facing the outside world. These are clear indicators that their spirit or will is not uplifted enough. As the saying goes; “where there is a will, there is always a way.”

Therefore, such a tendency of failure to deliver independently among our entrepreneurship scholars presupposes a MISSING LINK in that subject’s set-up e.g. content, context, approach, assessment etc. which should be addressed accordingly by the relevant authorities.

Incidentally, as food for thought, this submission puts into perspective other study areas at various levels supposed to equip learners with hands-on skills for job creation, given the current alarming levels of youth unemployment. Do they promote self-drive and the principle of “thinking outside the box.” i.e. exploring new areas, approaches, insights etc. for personal and communal benefit other than simply academic prowess? I wish to borrow an impressive quote by Albert Einstein a great philosopher, scientist and Nobel Prize winner, who proclaimed thus; “logic can take you from point A to B but imagination will take you everywhere.”

I am of the view that incorporating inspiration in the curriculum is the pragmatic approach that institutions are yet to embrace and promote in order to awaken the potential and ambitions of the learners. Motivational talks and books in that respect are invaluable.

Conclusion

Basic as this concept may appear, it is a cornerstone for the radical mindset change on employment. So far the bias is on a professional job NOT a personal job, or Self employment. However, in principle ownership should prevail over-occupancy.