Latwell Nyangu-Youth Interactive Writer
There is a generation of young people that has become increasingly accustomed to waiting.
Waiting for employment opportunities, waiting for someone to recognise their potential, waiting for funding, waiting for connections and, sometimes, waiting for life to become easier.
While these expectations are understandable, particularly in an environment where opportunities are limited and competition for available resources is growing, perhaps it is time we challenged ourselves to think differently.
To all students, not every opportunity comes in the form of a job advertisement, a scholarship, an invitation, or an appointment letter.
Sometimes, opportunities are hidden in everyday challenges, unanswered questions, community needs and problems that people have learned to live with.
This week, I am urging every student and young person in search of opportunities not to wait.
As young people, we must begin to appreciate that education is not merely about acquiring qualifications and waiting for the labour market to absorb us.
The ability to recognise these gaps and think of practical ways to address them is what separates those who simply wait from those who begin creating possibilities.
It should also be about developing the ability to think critically, identify challenges, and contribute towards finding solutions.
We should always ask ourselves.
What are we doing with the knowledge we acquire in lecture rooms?
How are our academic experiences, research projects, talents and everyday observations contributing to solving problems around us?
To be honest, a university degree should not only prepare someone to look for employment, but it should also equip them to innovate and identify development opportunities.
Unfortunately, many young people graduate with the expectation that the next logical step is securing formal employment.
While this is a genuine aspiration, we must broaden our understanding of what it means to put education into practice.
Beyond passing examinations and obtaining a qualification, there is an opportunity to explore more innovations.
Every discipline has something meaningful to offer beyond the classroom.
The challenge is whether we are willing to explore that potential.
This is particularly important where conversations about youth unemployment, economic opportunities and the future of graduates remain prominent.
We cannot ignore the difficulties confronting young people.
Limited employment opportunities, inadequate funding, restricted access to resources and economic pressures have made it difficult for many to translate their qualifications and ambitions into meaningful livelihoods.
However, these challenges should also encourage us to rethink how we approach opportunities.
To be honest, creating opportunities does not necessarily mean starting a fully funded company, establishing a large organisation, or having substantial financial resources.
Sometimes, it begins with a small idea, a skill, a community initiative, a research project, or identifying a problem that needs attention.
A young graduate with research skills, for instance, can begin by identifying organisations or communities that need research support.
The starting point does not always have to be impressive.
What matters is the willingness to begin, learn and improve.
We must stop treating research as something that begins when we are assigned a university project and ends when we submit a dissertation.
Research should become part of how we understand our surroundings and identify possibilities.
The knowledge gathered during academic studies should inform community projects, business ideas, policy discussions, and social interventions.
Young researchers must begin asking themselves how their findings can be translated into solutions.
We must also appreciate the importance of collaboration and networking.
Sometimes, an opportunity is created when people with different skills, experiences, and ideas come together.
Young people should learn to build meaningful professional relationships, participate in discussions, attend relevant platforms, share their ideas and seek mentorship.
Networking should not simply be about knowing influential people, but it should also be about exchanging knowledge, building trust, and identifying areas where people can work together.
However, creating opportunities should not be confused with pretending that structural challenges do not exist.
Unemployment, inadequate funding, limited resources and unequal access to opportunities are real challenges that cannot simply be wished away through positive thinking.
Young people need supportive institutions, investment, mentorship and an enabling environment to realise their potential.
We must continue demanding policies and interventions that expand access to opportunities.
But even as we demand these opportunities, we must not allow difficult circumstances to completely paralyse our initiative, creativity and willingness to learn.
We can advocate for a better environment while simultaneously preparing ourselves to make the most of the opportunities that emerge.
Perhaps our greatest challenge is not simply the absence of opportunities, but also how we respond when opportunities are not immediately available.
Instead of spending all our energy complaining about what is not working, we should dedicate some of it to learning, experimenting, networking, researching, and developing ideas.
Complaining about unemployment will not automatically create jobs, just as complaining about limited resources will not necessarily produce innovative solutions.
We need to move from conversations about what is missing to constructive discussions about what can be done.
This does not mean young people should remain silent about the challenges affecting them.
Our conversations must also be accompanied by action, creativity, and a willingness to contribute.
We cannot control every circumstance, but we can make deliberate efforts to improve what we know, what we can do and what we bring to the table.
The future will not only belong to those with impressive academic transcripts, but also to those who can translate knowledge into practical solutions.
Qualifications are important, but they become even more valuable when supported by creativity, adaptability, initiative, and the ability to respond to changing circumstances.
As young people, we must develop a culture of continuous learning.
We must read, research, explore new ideas, acquire practical skills, and remain curious about the world around us. We should not wait until someone gives us a platform before we begin sharing our ideas.
The question we should be asking ourselves is not only where the opportunities are, but also what we can do with what we already have.
Sometimes, the opportunity we have been waiting for is the idea we have not yet had the courage to pursue.
Until we meet for a toast.
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