PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT;
A Sure Alternative To Improving The Degrading Quality
Of Human Capital.
By Eburuche Obinna Chimezie Banito
The core essence of education in Nigeria and perhaps, around the world,
might have fallen short of expectations in the quality of human capital it had
produced in the past decades especially in this 21st century.
The objective of education in Nigeria from inception, was of two-folds;
1. To produce capacity to meet the labour-need of government.
2. To produce capacity to meet the labour-need of industries,
corporations and multinationals among others in the private sector.
It is demeaning to say that the more graduates we have pumped into the
labour market annually, the more the cries of employers for value-adding
individuals. This means that we are having more people who are hazardous to
organizational effectively, productivity, excellence and productivity. No
wonder the paradox exists; the more the number of graduates, the higher the
level of unemployment, under-employment and poverty.
Suffice it, human capacity development is too big for traditional
education to handle. Empirical education or perhaps, professional development
exposure must be inculcated as to have high-value-adding individuals to
contribute maximally to the explosive growth and development of organizations
which in turn rubs off on national and international economies.
It is important to know that individuals who consider continuous
professional development putting in personal responsibility and sacrifice, end
up distinguished. They not only have competitive edge but they also have
sustainable edge.
Knowledge they say, is power but more powerful is the applied knowledge.
In professional training exposures, participants graduate from the level of
knowing to that of applying. This is what makes the whole difference.
THE PITFALLS RESULTING FROM THE EDUCATIONAL
OBJECTIVES
Education, as a standalone and/or integrating itself with every aspect
of life, is very essential for sustainable economic growth and development but
bringing education to serve myopic objectives of only raising labour to fit in
for the sake of working for white collar jobs, was and/ is imprisoning the
giant "education" with unending antagonistic surprises meted out on
the general economy. Education, which was or/is seen as the remedy to building
a healthy living had now fallen short of meeting up with the demands attached
hitherto. Education in Nigeria, without doubt had become a major contributing
factor to the geometric increase in poverty and unemployment in Nigeria and
Africa. Nigerian and African educational content do not teach students
life-building and life-surviving skills which would have made the supremacy of
the knowledge impacted by education more yielding. Our institutions of higher
learning had become incubators of over-zealous job-seekers whose minds had been
trapped in perpetual resolution on what to get from the economy and not what to
contribute. Entrepreneurial and high-performance management skills are not
taught to applicable depths, so students come out as clones possessing no
equivalent value to the "almighty" certificates they carry around.
The greatest dismay is that the education we trusted had failed. This is
evident in the number of graduates that are turned out annually compared to the
number that gets engaged. So, a revolutionary and transformational education
which must possess high-level dynamism must be born to meet up with the demands
of economic sustainability around the countries of the world.
FACTS ABOUT THE NIGERIAN GRADUATE
1. About 1.8 million graduates enter the labour market yearly (SURE-P,
2014).
2. About 80% of graduates are unemployable (CIPM Nigeria, 2013, Lagos
State Chamber of Commerce, 2013).
3. About 80% of graduates do not possess employable skills (National
Directorate of Employment, 2013).
4. Over 90% of graduates are non-entrepreneurial (YouWin, 2013).
5. Not up to 15% of graduates engage in continuing professional training
(CIPM Nigeria, 2013).
6. A typical graduate believes not in professional training; a degree
(B. Sc., B. A., B. Ed., B. L. and so on) or its equivalence, is just enough.
All these and lots more (unmentioned), are some of the evident facts
about our labour force in Nigeria and Africa.
WHY MOST PEOPLE DO NOT TAKE PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING
1. Ignorance and lack of awareness.
To most people, just a degree is enough while to others,
they do not know about it and the benefits.
2. Discrimination from traditional discipline.
Most people will always say "it doesn't just relate
to my discipline so it has no relevance to my future" and for this reason,
they won't engage in it. But sometimes you wonder, the same person that made
this statement perhaps, an engineering graduate ending up in a bank as a
customer relations or human resource manager, now the question is "does
that relate to your discipline?"
3. Looking down on awareness agents or instructors.
Most people will reason it this way. If he doesn't have a good car, good
suite, good phones and good look, there is no need doing the course. Well, you
have to think again. If you were to analyse your lecturers before going to
school, perhaps you will not know what you know now and you will not have
the certificate you are parading now.
4. It's too expensive!
The most frequent exclamation you hear. Well, if it's expensive just
remain where you are.
5. It's too technical, strategic and bulky.
Most people use grammar to disqualify or weaken themselves while others
do not want to challenge their brains.
6. Procrastination.
‘I will do it later’ is not a date.
7. Association Influence.
Most people will not do because their friends will not do.
8. Too much analysis.
To some, you must convince them beyond all reasonable doubts.
9. Non-strategic Goals.
Many people do not know exactly where they are going so getting there
will surely be a problem. Since there are no goals, many would never identify
what their future looks like even it they come across it. Many do not know
their career until they get a job. Some believe that the job is the career. This
makes it difficult to know the requirements of having a fulfilled life.
10. Living without a plan.
Life without a plan ends up in misery. Since many do not know what to
hope for the future, planning for the future then becomes a terrible ordeal.
Those that plan their lives know that training is a critical requirement for
super achievement.
11. Ego or Pride
No doubt, this is a killer of many. Most people want to buy off the
professional certificate but do not acknowledge the super importance of
attending the training. What a paradox! Some exclaim that they are trained from
private and international universities so they have all the skills meanwhile,
they are suffering under the imprisonment of ego. Kill it now or it kills you.
WHY PROFESSIONAL TRAINING DO NOT BENEFIT SOME
PEOPLE EVEN AFTER TAKING IT.
1. No definite strategic objectives
Since majority of the people taking professional courses need quick
gratifications, it blinds them from future benefits associated with being a
certified professional. Some people were made to believe that obtaining
professional training means ultimate employment or promotion. Sorry, that's not
true. To fully maximize the benefits of professional training, develop measurable
objectives of taking it so you can have performance standards.
2. Non-appreciation of the knowledge
Most people do not place value on the knowledge and as such, do no not
appreciate it. Whatever you do not appreciate, dies a natural death. To come of
this, take a course that will always appreciate. One that you are willing to apply.
3. Non-recognition of training benefits.
Most people do not really know why they are taking these courses if not
for job placement as such, it becomes difficult to translate the acquired
knowledge to marketable value outside job placement. Establish why you are taking
the training and focus on getting them.
4. Seeing professional training as an escape route to the struggles in
the labour market, will not allow you to benefit from professional training
rather it creates room for complains, murmuring and regrets.
5. To most people that are employed, professional training is for
job-seekers.
The Primary Objective of Professional Development
To build up capacities with high-performance management skills to meet
up with the overarching needs of lack of or inadequately skilled human
capital (be it in Nigeria or around the globe) both in the public and private
sectors to meet the demands of sustainable economic growth and development.
BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
1. Personal development that makes for distinction.
2. Better opportunities.
3. High level Independence.
4. Better remunerations and other benefits.
5. Working at comfortable terms and conditions.
6. Undoubted competence.
7. Respect at workplace.
8. Confidence.
In summary, professional human capital development as a dynamic learning
platform, is a sure guarantee to developing both leadership and management
skills needed for sustainable economic growth and development.
Empower yourself today and remain distinguished. (DOWNLOAD PDF COPY)
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