Choose course combinations wisely

due consideration of a number of factors.
The factors fall under generally two categories: personal and environmental.
The personal factors pertain to the student’s abilities which may be grouped under two headings as well: academic and practical.
A student may be a wizard in subjects such as Mathematics but virtually deaf and dumb in subjects such as History, Theology and linguistics.
Some may excel in physical pursuits, that is to say athletics, but their fingers may all be thumbs when it comes to woodwork and other manual trades and professions. Some may have a passion for social and cultural disciplines, divinity and musicology being some of them. These are some of the personal factors, in effect attributes, that have to be considered most seriously in the choice of a career.
Environmental factors include national, regional and global socio-economic development and needs.
Some degrees, such as sociology, may sound very attractive, and yet in practical terms they are irrelevant to national needs.
They may be very useful to developed countries but certainly not to socio-economically emergent nations such as South Sudan, the DRC and those with a struggling rural-based economy like that of Zimbabwe and most Sadc nations.
A systematic scanning of this environment helps to identify which professions, vocations and trades are in demand, and to what an extent. This, taken in conjunction with one’s academic strengths and personal passions and knacks, enables one to pursue a rewarding, fulfilling professional course.
In Zimbabwe today, many O-level certificate holders try to enter the medical profession by getting enrolled in nursing training schools. Some of these do so not because they have a passion for helping sick people but rather because they would like to go and work abroad after graduating.
The choice of a profession ought not be influenced by a desire to make money but by one’s wish to become that which one has always fervently wanted to be with the help of the development and use of one’s natural gifts.
One who loves to be with children sharing their fantasies makes a good teacher, all other factors being equal. An outdoors person, Jock of the Rushveld, to borrow a title of a famous, old South African book, makes a very good surveyor.
Those who enjoy “grinding their insides” so to speak, and work hard making whatever article, be it clay or metal pots, wooden or plastic chairs, clothing and what ever would be well advised to pursue manual rather than intellectual professions.
People who enjoy watching livestock or any other type of hoofed animals had better take a relevant profession like, especially, veterinary sciences.
Some people enjoy reading and accumulate literally libraries during their lifetime. These are the people who do well in literary art. It would be unwise for one who deeply enjoys reading and writing poetry or prose or both to pursue a career in say, wood technology or in animal husbandry.
A wrong professional choice leads to a lifelong regret, an incurable type of frustration and can lead to an early death even to suicide in some cases, all due to failure to achieve fully one’s potential.
Two basic questions have to be answered most honestly by career-seeking young adults:
l What do I want to be?
l What can I be?
The first question pertains to one’s aspirations and the second to one’s ability. Other questions that may have to be answered are the “where” and the “how” of the problem.
“Where” pertains to the accessibility of the centre or centres where the profession can be acquired. The “how” refers not only to the mode of study – which may include correspondence – but how to finance the programme.
Those who wish to pursue education for teaching purposes must have patience in abundance. Unlike in the old snobbish days when some teachers would pompously tell their prospective and actual students: “He who knows not that he knows not is a fool, leave him; but he who knows that he knows not is wise teach him,” these days a good educationist needs some education.
Having shown them that they lack and but need some education the teachers can then proceed to impart some knowledge to them. If they do not know that they do not know they will for ever live in blissful ignorance to the unfortunate detriment of all humanity.
l Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu is a Bulawayo based retired journalist. He can be contacted on sgwakuba@gmail .com or cell 0734328136.