Career skills trainings are essential to young people.

30 years ago, there were only a few defined career paths for a typical Ugandan. You were either a doctor, lawyer, engineer or an outlier defying the odds. However, with the fastest ever-growing age of the internet and access to knowledge and information, the career narrative today is unprecedented.

There are many career options and one can choose to be as many things as they are good at and would like to be. From legal tech innovations, telemedicine, graphics design, data analytics, writers, content creation and the list goes on.

If anything, the 21st Century has taught us that with access to information at the tap of a button, one does not have to constantly be in a classroom to learn. All it takes is commitment and consistency as for some of the personalities that we admire are self-taught.

In Uganda, student leaders play a vital role in shaping the future of their schools and communities. On Wednesday 17th, July 2024, Enock Nkulanga together with Lindzy Byamugisha , a soft skills trainer set out to facilitate a career mapping session with the newly elected student leaders at Nile High School in Mukono. Their focus was to enable students understand their strengths, interests, and values, and that way effectively map out a career path that aligns with their goals and aspirations.

The career mapping session was hinged on three major components; Skills, Knowledge. and Networks. Understanding these three helps to understand oneself, understand and appreciate other people and ultimately understand the role you play in the ecosystem.

Understanding one's strengths, interests, values, and skills is crucial in career mapping. This looks like conducting self-assessments, such as personality tests, skills assessments, and values assessments, which can help young people identify their unique qualities and preferences.

Identifying the skills and competencies required for one's desired career path is another aspect in career mapping. Students were engaged in an interactive session to write a list of the soft skills and the hard skills they have. This helped them assess their current skillset and knowledge gaps in order to develop a plan to acquire the necessary skills through education, training, and professional development.

The students were also reminded to prioritise setting clear and achievable short-term and long-term career goals helping to start the journey one step at a time with clear direction of the career path ahead. Goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) to provide direction and motivation.

Building a strong professional network of mentors, peers, and industry professionals is essential in career mapping. Some of the questions posed to the students were; 1) Who do you know?, 2)How are you positioning yourself to advance in your chosen career path?

Networking can provide valuable insights, opportunities for collaboration, and access to job openings that may not be publicly advertised. This is because you end up in circles of influence with like-minded people.

In conclusion, by creating a personalized career map, student leaders in Ugandan high schools can navigate their career paths with confidence and clarity. With determination, hard work, and a clear vision for the future, they can achieve their goals and make a positive impact in their communities.

''Mentorship nurtures leaders and builds the capacity to realise one's potential'' -Lindzy Byamugisha, Mentor & Leadership Trainer, LeadMinds Africa