Online Reporter
Cliff Chiduku [email protected]
Schools across Zimbabwe opened for the second term on Tuesday, and for many learners, this is not just another academic term.
It is a defining period in their educational journey.
It is during this term that many pupils begin making critical subject choices.
These choices will influence not only what they study in the coming years, but potentially the careers they will pursue for the rest of their lives, yet career selection remains one of the most misunderstood and often mishandled processes in Zimbabwe.
My experience working in universities and interacting with students, parents, lecturers and industry professionals has taught me one important lesson: many young people do not fail because they lack ability; they struggle because they are pursuing careers that were never truly theirs.
One of the biggest challenges in career guidance today is the tendency by parents to impose their own dreams, fears and ambitions on their children.
In many families, career conversations are often dominated by statements such as, “My child must become a doctor,” “Engineering is where the money is,” “Lawyers are respected,” or “Teaching does not pay.”
These statements are usually driven by love and a genuine desire for children to succeed. Parents want the best for their children, and there is nothing wrong with that. The challenge arises when that desire becomes control.
Far too often, children are pushed into careers that reflect their parents’ aspirations rather than their own abilities, passions or personalities.
The result is that society ends up with professionals who are qualified on paper but disconnected from their work.
We see doctors who have no passion for patients, teachers who no longer enjoy classrooms, accountants who dread spreadsheets and lawyers who secretly wish they had pursued something else.
There is perhaps nothing more painful than spending decades in a profession that was chosen for you rather than by you.
The modern world has evolved yet many of our career conversations remain stuck in the past.
For many years, success was narrowly defined by a handful of professions — doctor, lawyer, engineer, teacher, nurse, or accountant. These careers remain important and respected, but the world of work has expanded in ways previous generations could never have imagined.
Today, young people can build successful careers in fields such as digital marketing, software development, climate science, data analytics, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, content creation, media innovation, tourism, entrepreneurship and many other emerging sectors. Some are building global businesses from smartphones. Others are creating employment opportunities from ideas that did not exist 10 years ago.
The economy is changing, technology is reshaping industries, and the careers of tomorrow may look very different from the careers of today.
This means choosing a career in the modern day requires a different mindset.
The first question a learner must ask is not, “Which career pays the most money?” Nor should the question be, “What career will impress people?” The first and perhaps most important question should be, “Who am I?”
Self-awareness has become one of the most important starting points in career selection.
A learner must understand their strengths, interests, personality and natural abilities. What subjects come naturally? What activities bring excitement? Does one enjoy solving problems, working with people, creating things, analysing data, speaking in public, conducting research or working with technology?
These questions matter because careers are no longer just about qualifications. They are about alignment.
When people work in areas that align with their natural strengths and interests, they are more likely to thrive, innovate, and find fulfilment.
The opposite leads to conflicts and frustration.
Exposure also plays a critical role in career choice. Many young people, particularly those from rural communities, are limited not by intelligence, but by information.
A child cannot aspire to become a climate scientist, software engineer, data analyst or media entrepreneur if they have never encountered such professionals or heard about those career paths.
In many communities, career choices are shaped by the children see around them
This lack of exposure has motivated Lupane State University to organise a career fair where professionals and parents will converge to expose learners to diverse career opportunities.
However, career guidance should not be a once-off event where students listen to motivational speeches. It should be an ongoing process of mentorship, industry exposure, practical engagement and honest conversations about the future of work.
The future of work is also demanding new skills. Automation, artificial intelligence, climate change, digital transformation, and global competition are changing the nature of employment. Employers are no longer looking only for certificates and degrees.
They are increasingly looking for critical thinking, communication, creativity, adaptability, digital literacy, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving abilities.
In other words, degrees may open doors, but skills keep those doors open.
Parents therefore have an important role to play, but that role must evolve. The modern parent must move from being a career commander to being a career coach.
Children do not need parents who dictate their future. They need parents who help them discover it. They need guidance, encouragement, exposure, and support — not pressure.
As schools begin the second term and learners start making important academic decisions, one truth must remain clear: choosing a career is not about pleasing society, impressing relatives, or fulfilling someone else’s dream. It is about discovering purpose, understanding one’s strengths, and preparing for a world that is constantly changing.
In the modern day, the most successful careers are not always chosen by pressure. They are chosen by purpose.
*Cliff Chiduku is the director of marketing and public relations at Lupane State University. For feedback, email : [email protected]
