Hello everyone and the entire family of 
Leaving school is one of the exciting moments of life but to be honest with you, it is a start of a whole new kind of life different from the usual. It is a point where a whole new chapter of life begins. A point where you begin to carry your own responsibilities. A point where you have to stand on your own feet and make decisions for yourself. Decisions that might affect your future. Life after school is different from life in real world.
This is why I would tell anyone leaving school today to think beyond certificates they have obtained in school. Yes the degree or diploma certificate is good, but it is not enough to succeed in this life, especially in our country where white collar jobs are not easy to find. You can graduate with excellent grades and still spend years moving from one job interview to another without success. The competition out there is high and the number of graduates increases every year, but the jobs are not increasing. If you put all your hope in just getting an office job, you might end up getting frustrated.
My advice to anyone leaving school is to have a skill. Find something you can do that people will be willing to pay for. Things you can start small and grow with time. Unlike a white collar job that depends on someone hiring you, the skill you have can give you the power to create your own work and even employ others. The skill you have can make you relevant anywhere you.
We live in a modern world, a digital age and we can't ignore the fact that the world is running in technology and so, I would encourage learning a digital skill. Businesses are now run online, learning is done online, marketing are done online. So apart from a physical skill, learn a digital skill which can open the door to opportunities not just in the country but all over the world. Invest time in learning at least one digital skill.
I was privileged to learn a digital skill right from when I rounded up my high school and it really helped me. I learnt the basics in computer Operation with knowledge in Microsoft office packages and during my stay in the high institution, I learnt data analysis and video editing and I must say it has really been helpful. After school, I did wait for the white collar job to come, I established myself. I work for people online and get paid.
In the country today, you will see many young people who are successful not because they waited for a job, but because they created one for themselves. They learned something useful and used it to build a business for themselves. Some started small but with time grew. They didn’t sit around blaming the government or waiting for things to get better, they took action. You can also do the same.
Truth is, life after school is full of reality checks. You will come to realise that the comfort of school life is not the same as life outside the school gate. In the real world, you're there to survive and succeed unlike the school environment where you read and just go for lectures and pass exams. Paraventure, If you decide to live your father's house and stay independent just like I did, you will have bills to pay, rent, electricity, food, transportation, and even little things you never thought of before. Nobody will come knocking on your door to give you free money. If you don’t work, you won’t chop (eat), and you won’t be able to meet your needs.
It is also important to keep learning. Just because you have finished school now doesn't mean your learning have stop. The world is constantly changing fast, and the people who succeed in this world are those who keep improving themselves. If you have any skill(s), improve on them. Learn the latest trends. Keep upgrading yourself and blend in the society. Try and make your own things unique and different from others. The more you grow your skill, the more valuable you become.
Lastly, again will I say don’t waste time waiting for a white collar job that might never come. Learn a skill start something, no matter how small, and grow it.
Your parents have carried you this far through your stay in school and have taken care of you. Now it’s your turn to carry yourself and to take care of them. Build something solid for yourself, and you’ll never have to depend on anyone to survive.
Welcome to the labor market.
If you'd like to participate in this prompt, kindly checked out the link below to read the rules for participation.👇👇
@indiaunited/indiaunited-new-contest-and-last-058a3b7027daf
In case I go against the rules, please let me be corrected at the comments session. Thanks for stopping by..