Are you a graduate fresh out of school, looking to get a job and start life? well, getting a job isn't as easy as it sounds or as it used to be. Jobs that were readily available are no longer there and even the few jobs that are available require extra effort to get them, the competition is stiff and employers are not just looking at your university degrees, qualifications, etc. In order to give you a job, they are looking for something beyond that. To get the job of your dreams you must go the extra mile, you must have what it takes and what employers are looking out for to give you the job. Here are five {5} awesome reasons why you should get a professional skill.

Practice what you have been taught; Most of the courses you did in school and lectures you received in the class were theoretically based with little or no practical at all. Most graduates today do not have the practical knowledge of what they studied in school and due to this, they would be unable to perform adequately in their area of discipline. For instance, a graduate of civil engineering with only theoretical knowledge would find it difficult to function outside of the academic world where it is more practical. Furthermore, some courses cannot be effectively taught theoretically, in order to gain adequate knowledge of the subject, practical knowledge needs to be imparted. Acquiring a practical professional skill will help you to practice what you have been taught in school thereby imparting in you the adequate practical knowledge and invaluable experiences you need to excel in your area of discipline. Apart from these, employers are seeking graduates with practical skills and not just a university degree because these skills help employees to work faster and better and it would save them the cost of taking new employees through training processes after recruitment.

Better Job Prospects; Although it is needless to say, regardless, it is important to emphasize the fact that competition in the labor market is stiff. Jobs are scarce to come by and for you to get the few ones available you must try as much as possible to increase your chances of landing a dream job. In order to improve your chances or better your prospects, practical skill acquisition is the way to go because employers favor graduates with practical skills for graduates with just university degrees. It is a proven fact that a practical professional skill improves your chances of getting a job more than getting a masters degree or a doctorate degree because a practical professional skill gives you practical experience which acquiring of higher degrees does not give. For instance, an employer would find a professionally skilled graduate of electrical engineering more employable than a masters degree or doctorate degree holder of the same course because of the invaluable experiences and skills acquired through practical professional skill acquisition which acquiring higher degrees does not give.

Be your own boss!: The No 1 benefit acquiring a practical professional skill offers you is the opportunity to become your own boss. By practicing the skill you have acquired professionally, you can go from being a job seeker to become an employer of labor. Practical professional skills empower you with the skill and the intellectual capacity to make you an employer of labor within a short period. After acquiring the skill, you can choose to be independent and start rendering services based on the skill acquired. This takes you off the street and even makes you an employer of labor thereby making you a boss!

Stand out!: Apart from significantly increasing your chances of getting a good job, acquiring practical professional skills makes you stand out!. With practice comes confidence, with acquiring practical professional skills you get the confidence to stand out among your peers, mate, fellow job seekers, etc. because you have the knowledge and experiences that they do not have and you can do what they can't. This makes you stand out from among them and makes you prepared for any opportunity that might come your way. Apart from that, in a practical interview, you are sure to stand out because you already have practical knowledge compared to your fellow job seekers that possess only theoretical knowledge.

Career flexibility: One of the greatest advantages of vocational education is its promotion of career flexibility. Practical vocational education and technical education helps in promoting career flexibility and prevents an individual to be tied to a particular job or career indefinitely without any degree of freedom, independence or financial security. With a practical vocational skill, you can enjoy a degree of independence and career flexibility while working would be able to do other things while working, can change career to a more suitable career with ease and importantly you can have multiple streams of income while engaging in multiple jobs with relative ease.