Dear final year engineering students. I write this letter in response to the questions I have received over the years from you. Questions of what next after the final paper.
The labour market is not as bad as people would tell you, neither is it as good as you would want it to be. You just have to be strategic in your steps. The options available are various: write a catching CV, network, go engineering entrepreneurship, rapport with your HOD to win a place in graduate assistanceship, raise money to write SAT in order to try your hands on foreign scholarship, learn engineering softwares, prepare for Masters, get HSE and other certifications and the list is inexhaustible.
You must have been told the above options - some or all. It work for some people and does not for others (there is no one all working solution in life). In addition to all that I would love to suggest an option to you, though not too conventional but I guarantee you it would work. I want you to consider Technical Engineering.
What do I mean? Immediately you finish your last paper locate a technical college around you. A college with equipment for practicals. Tell them I directed you down. Volunteer to work there.
When you have arrived resist the temptation of being turned to a teacher. See yourself as a technical instructor. Ya, you are now officially an Engineering Pupil (as we are called in the society of Engineers). The college would want to use you as their Mathematics, Physics or Chemistry Teacher. Some may want to make you Vice Principal or Principal, others would want to keep you as exam machine. All these are but sweet distraction. Insist that you want to be involved in training of engineering craftsmen. Forget sitting in staff room and locate the workshop. Be available for the following subjects:
1. Mechanical Engineering Craft - if you are studying Mechanical.
2. Electrical Installation and Maintenance, Instrument Mechanic Work, Electronic Work - if you are studying Electrical.
3. Pipeline Fitting/Welding - if you are studying Chemical.
Do this judiciously, save up for your COREN, and in time to come Nigeria would not be importing people from China to supervise Engineering work. You will be so valuable.
Regards,
Id
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