Introduction
Life really is funny. There was a time when the typewriter was an innovation. I recently saw a picture of IBM loading a 5MB hard disk memory and it was as big as a medium size water tank. Ah, the telephone, that was something. It was a thing of prestige to own a landline then and boy, if you could call overseas, you were great. I can’t forget the packs of NITEL (now defunct) call cards that one had to purchase and queue at the post office to make long distance calls. Times really have changed.

I learnt typing using the type writer. Secretaries who remained fixated with the type writer have faded away. I wonder if most millennials know what a floppy disk (5-1/4 and 3-1/2) looks like. Yeah, we grew up to know of Pentium series computers as the standard, today it’s Core i’s.

Similarly, it was strange to hear of a biochemist learning programming or engineers doing ICAN. Specialty in a course of study (postgraduate or professional qualifications which were quite limited) was guaranteed to keep one on the job. Experience mattered then. It wasn’t uncommon to hear statements like, “Jeff had to be brought in from XYZ because he has ten years working experience with ABC.” Jeff was respected and highly paid because his experience in uncharted territories was priceless.

Today, I’m quite confused. I see Jide laid off from the bank with ICAN and MBA, Luther gets the boot from his auditing firm and he has his ICAN, about completing his ACCA and has an MBA. Bridget is let go from her engineering firm with a first-class engineering degree, 5 years working experience (so much for affirmative action) and a chartered engineer! Worse still is Bami whose IT firm no longer needs his expertise (with a bachelor in CS, CCNA, CCNP and 5 years working experience).

I do not want to believe that these qualifications are in the type writer era. I’m discussing with Imade, a HR consultant and she is telling me how hard surviving the harsh economy called Nigeria is. She talks about the difficulties in down-sizing and factors being considered. “Guy chill, it is not easy, so many factors come into play.” I can’t believe my ears. She continues, “Yes, we consider the value addition of staff, how much have we invested in them, what has been their benefit to the company, can their jobs be done by someone else, do they have exceptional skills that make them valuable?” She continues, “We don’t need yes sir staff, we need doers. We need innovative staff who want to increase our profit margin. People skill is good, but right now, we don’t care. Just give us results!” Lord have mercy.

Well that’s the corporate world. I soon get down to have a chat with Prof. A. Sir, what’s happening, you guys aren’t recruiting staff and yet we have a lot of first-class graduates? “We don’t need them” is prof’s response. My ears tingle. “We need lecturers who can do research, who can attract grants/funding, who can compete at the global level.” I respond, but sir with the materials we were trained with, that’s too ambitious. His look is chilling, if I didn’t have my Captain America’s shield, I would have frozen to death.

It seems there is a disconnect between university training and modern-day job requirements. Undergraduates seem to be pre-occupied only with grades which is just a fraction of the total package. No one is telling the undergraduate that publication is a requirement for postgraduate scholarships, neither is anyone intimating them that ICAN should be completed by graduation. No one seems to be intimating undergraduates that profit making is the goal of any business and that employment into corporate world is to boost profit and company image. It is thus not uncommon to see first-class graduates and pg degree holders feel disappointed when they can’t get employed or get laid off. They seem to think the nation has failed them.

As someone with two engineering degrees, I can’t believe the transformation my profession has undergone within a short time. I have been shocked beyond belief to see psychologists and sociologists leading electrical engineering projects (demand side management, sustainable cities etc.). My grief got compounded recently when I saw that majority of policies that will affect energy in the next decade have been formulated by lawyers, geographers, political scientists etc. What business has egalitarianism with energy?

In striving to remaining relevant and attracting funding in the sciences, folks in the humanities and arts have been evolving ideas and concepts that seek to establish a nexus between the arts/humanities and sciences. Today leading experts on climate change aren’t even engineers!

Foresight and proactiveness thus seem to be important factors in enabling professionals stay relevant in today’s changing world.

I cannot say much about what corporate workers do to stay relevant but I hope that this piece would solicit comments which can help present day undergrads take right decisions.

Please feel free to disagree, agree, expand, compress, squeeze or shun my opinions. Your contributions are much welcome.

Good afternoon.

unku lala!!

Just like businesses, career too is fast evolving. Disruption everywhere.

Favourable courses in our time that will always be relevant include- Engineering Management, Financial Engineering, Engineering for Sustainable Development, Project Management.

Courses close to extinction in Nigeria include Zoology, Botany, Microbiology etc.

Most open industry to any type of degree in Nigeria - Banking, Accounting, Manufacturing

Most restricted professions in Nigeria - Medicine, Nursing, Petroleum, Law, Engineering( Civil, Mechanical, Electrical)

Most innovative/disruptive setors - Electronics/Electrical, Internet and IT infrastructure

So as a professional, always carry out assessment of your relevance in the sector you play and be ready to do the needful to survive.

you wrote the truth in as much as we tend to think about the importance of our first degrees,I can really say that,first degrees these days aren't so important,because of the porous education sector of our dear country. It has come to my understanding that studying science related courses in Nigeria are basically a waste of time,because we don't have the practically support needed to handle such courses,that's why when we find ourselves in a developed environment we understand that all that we've been taught were just a bunch of theoretical hogwash.

we shouldn't sit and depend on only out first degrees or academic certificates,instead we should strive and pursue professional certifications,technical certifications as well as learn an hand job or two.So as to enable you fit into any situation or environment without feeling dumb or inferior.
self improvement is key to being successful in this new generation that we are.
Don't be contented with where you find yourself,but instead strive to improve.thanks.

dopeboi142:

Don't be contented with where you find yourself,but instead strive to improve.thanks.

I strongly share with your thoughts. Some of the courses we study in the University here in Nigeria do not have employment opportunities.

Aol360:
Just like businesses, career too is fast evolving. Disruption everywhere.

Favourable courses in our time that will always be relevant include- Engineering Management, Financial Engineering, Engineering for Sustainable Development, Project Management.

Three years ago, I would not have believed you, 3 years after, you are damn right! I can't come to think of it, but finance and mgt skills, sustainable development ideas and project management proficiency are relevant and invaluable skills.

Question: How can today's undergrads in Nigeria key into this. I know of the IBM/IEEE smarter planet challenge, Total Summer School etc, but what other avenues are there to help undergrads build elementary capacity in these identified areas?

Aol360:

Courses close to extinction in Nigeria include Zoology, Botany, Microbiology etc.

Jesus wept! If no ability to travel abroad, little hope does exist.

Question: For an undergrad in these courses, any thoughts or hopes.

Aol360:

Most open industry to any type of degree in Nigeria - Banking, Accounting, Manufacturing

Most restricted professions in Nigeria - Medicine, Nursing, Petroleum, Law, Engineering( Civil, Mechanical, Electrical)

Most innovative/disruptive setors - Electronics/Electrical, Internet and IT infrastructure

Hmmm, the rate which nurses, bankers and other professionals are picking up LLM is becoming alarming.

Aol360:

So as a professional, always carry out assessment of your relevance in the sector you play and be ready to do the needful to survive.

True talk.

dopeboi142:
you wrote the truth in as much as we tend to think about the importance of our first degrees,I can really say that,first degrees these days aren't so important,because of the porous education sector of our dear country. It has come to my understanding that studying science related courses in Nigeria are basically a waste of time,because we don't have the practically support needed to handle such courses,that's why when we find ourselves in a developed environment we understand that all that we've been taught were just a bunch of theoretical hogwash.

we shouldn't sit and depend on only out first degrees or academic certificates,instead we should strive and pursue professional certifications,technical certifications as well as learn an hand job or two.So as to enable you fit into any situation or environment without feeling dumb or inferior.
self improvement is key to being successful in this new generation that we are.
[b]Don't be contented with where you find yourself,but instead strive to improve.[/b]thanks.

Fact! The problem with self contentment is made worse when we are the best in a local environment. I will encourage undergrads to join sites like Researchgate, Academia.edu, Quora etc. and see what folks are doing. Undergrads can also keep tab of top performing lecturers through Researchgate that they can attach themselves to in order to build research skills. This is very important!

What an eye-opening topic! I'm a graduate of biochemistry(in saner climes, I would have said, "I'm a biochemist). I graduated as the 2nd best student in 2014.(I was 22). Fast forward to 2017, the only thing I can do is teach secondary school biology or chemistry, because there are no industries to engage me.

So, I'm planning to switch. I think I will settle for a career in accounting, after I have written and passed ICAN, though. I'm switching not because I love accounting, but because a man must find a way to keep alive. Teachers are paid peanuts. Accounting is the only way to get to the top of the corporate word in Nigeria. Especially in Nigeria.

As an aside, I think biochemistry should be included in the list of soon-to-be extinct courses as well. Students are being ripped off by universities that offer such courses.

Other courses include: Library and Information science, Microbiology, agronomy, biotechnology, etc.

Igboeze90:
What an eye-opening topic! I'm a graduate of biochemistry(in saner climes, I would have said, "I'm a biochemist). I graduated as the 2nd best student in 2014.(I was 22). Fast forward to 2017, the only thing I can do is teach secondary school biology or chemistry, because there are no industries to engage me.

So, I'm planning to switch. I think I will settle for a career in accounting, after I have written and passed ICAN, though. I'm switching not because I love accounting, but because a man must find a way to keep alive. Teachers are paid peanuts. Accounting is the only way to get to the top of the corporate word in Nigeria. Especially in Nigeria.

As an aside, I think biochemistry should be included in the list of soon-to-be extinct courses as well. Students are being ripped off by universities that offer such courses.

Other courses include: Library and Information science, Microbiology, agronomy, biotechnology, etc.

Hmmm. You do/don't have age advantage on your side. However, having ICAN certification does not automatically open doors.

What are your expectations on becoming chartered - job/employment (age consideration), internship (?) etc.

The cost in financing the certification and possible ROI.

Biochemistry to MLS (possibility of internship, access to lab, recognition etc.)

It's a tough call, but then you have to factor in a lot of variables.

At the end, consulting God is always a great idea.

Good luck!

Igboeze90:
What an eye-opening topic!
So, I'm planning to switch. I think I will settle for a career in accounting, after I have written and passed ICAN, though. I'm switching not because I love accounting, but because a man must find a way to keep alive. Teachers are paid peanuts. Accounting is the only way to get to the top of the corporate word in Nigeria. Especially in Nigeria.

ICAN is cool. Try target the big 4 firms as you proceed with your ican exams.

PwC recruit almost every year, KPMG every 3-5 Months. So be on the look out Bro.


I assume you will be 26 in 2018 so plan to gain entry into the big 4 next year since that's their max age. Big 4 might be the best and only option for you since you are switching with no Accounting background.

Good luck Bro!

Chukwuka16:


Hmmm. You do/don't have age advantage on your side. However, having ICAN certification does not automatically open doors.

What are your expectations on becoming chartered - job/employment (age consideration), internship (?) etc.

The cost in financing the certification and possible ROI.

Biochemistry to MLS (possibility of internship, access to lab, recognition etc.)

It's a tough call, but then you have to factor in a lot of variables.

At the end, consulting God is always a great idea.

Good luck!

At the bolded, it isn't as express like that. Biochemistry to MLS means he has to return to school to get a BMLS degree + license to practice. Only then will he be accorded the recognition duly deserved and given the chance for internship placement. Even if he goes to 50 labs the first thing is "where is your licence".

It isn't so straightforward more like 5-6 years extra to get that feet but it's worth the sacrifice I must say.