₦airaland Forum

I am most grateful to everyone who has taken time out to read through and drop their encouraging comments and advice!

Thanks a million to you all!

Cc: Lalasticlala

Sir Seun

et al

Please I need this to be exposed. Please

Career Crossroad: Please I Need Professional Advice

I'm making this thread in hope that it will filter through to persons who would be in good position to offer advice.... Not necessarily on "WHAT I SHOULD DO" - but advice that can help me better understand the pros and cons of the 2 choices before me. Thank you.
7
Here it is.

I am a 25yr old Nigerian male, I completed my secondary school education (SSCE) in 2010 (I had an issue with maths - I had to resit for another exam 2yrs later due to financial limitations).

After my SSCE same year, i had to go for computer training as a "handwork" - Mum was the only one taking care of us, so the prospects of tertiary education wasn't very bright. Along the line during my training, i developed real passion for ICT...and though my training was just on basic computer appreciation and desktop publishing... I gave it my best.... And was really good.

Not to bore us with many lines, time and seasons came, highs and lows.. But I survived through it all... And I shunned all forms of illegality even when it wasn't easy, seeing the ill-gains others were getting from it.

Currently I work in a place, where God, humility, my skills and proficiency got me to and not even my qualifications (I work as (and more than) Secretary - let's say I am the fix-it guy). I've been getting advice from some of the people around that i should try and upgrade myself (qualifications) - atleast to get better shots - but we all know how the job market is today.

Thing is, irrespective of my age, I really desire to get an "education" to better myself than i currently am - not limited to school (the educational system of our dear country is a sorry state, and the leaders of the institutions are more concern about fees than actually making anything out of the graduates other than offering a certificate backed with signatures and transcript on request) - �

I can't quit my job to go full time after 9yrs of my SSCE, plus i need the job to support myself, siblings and Mum too....and should i consider schooling, I need the job to finance myself - seeing that there's no sponsor in sight.

In the light of the above, I can only go for a part time programme, but when the advert for the school i intend getting the form from, I saw that it would be a 6-year long programme...Good Lord! I had been told it was 5years (Which was still a bit considerable) before now!

Now this is where I'm at cross roads:

Should I really give in another 6 years to acquire this degree (Computer Science)?

At the end of it, would I have really gotten anything marketable from the programme (Unless what I learn out on my own) apart from getting the certificate?

It's no news how even some graduates remain unemployed or under employed even after school....Is the value of a B.Sc any more important to getting success?

What I really want is an to learn professional skills in ICT that can make me really marketable and not just going to school for 6years to get the degree. Are there less lengthy professional courses or career paths that I can follow to master certain fields in ICT that can make me employable for my skills? Certification courses et al?

I'm really confused.