Experts advise students on attitude, etiquette

Listening. Participants during the universities annual career fair at Makerere University Main Hall yesterday . PHOTO BY STEPHEN OTAGE

What you need to know:

Advice. The students have been advised to take up volunteering opportunities when available

Kampala.

Renowned experts in leading corporate institutions in the country have advised Makerere University students to improve their attitude towards work and polish their etiquette before seeking for employment.

Speaking at the launch of this year’s universities annual career fair yesterday, experts from Monitor Publications Limited (MPL), National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), told the students that unemployment is an idle mind set.

“You have the idea but how you are packaging it is the reason you are not selling. If you approached a company paying high electricity bills and gave them a proposal on their energy audit, to cut down on their bill, who would refuse such a proposal,” Ms Geraldine Ssali, the deputy managing director NSSF, challenged Acuda Aaron, a second year Bachelor of Environmental Studies student who said they formed a company teaching communities issues of climate change and adaptation.

Ms Gloria Molly Kyamukuru, also a second year Bachelor of Environment Studies student, complained about lack of employment opportunities in her field. Ms Kyamukuru argued that she is considering studying business administration where her passion and opportunities lie.

However, in response MPL managing director, Mr Tony Glencross, noted that the way one approaches life and success matters.
“In your career, there are a lot of opportunities for the future in solar power, irrigation, much more than the courses such as law that you fancy but how you approach life and the success you want and how to achieve it matters,” Mr Glencross explained.

Instead of remaining unemployed as they search for jobs, students have also been advised to volunteer with various organisations to enhance their exposure and expand their networks.

The supervisor KCCA employment services bureau, Mr Abel Asiimwe Bimbona, noted that much as many graduates ignore volunteering opportunities, such avenues equip them with soft skills, which provide a competitive edge while applying for jobs.

Mr Bimbona revealed that graduates are able to prove to the prospective employer their competences and the value they bring to the company if they have trained or volunteered at one time. “Every year, universities produce more than 40,000 graduates but government cannot employ all of them. You are lucky to have such an event,” Mr Bimbona noted.

The two-day event, which was opened yesterday at Makerere University Main Hall, has been sponsored by MPL, NSSF, and co-sponsored by KCCA, ICEA, DFCU Bank, ACCA, Post Bank, Vodafone and Housing Finance Bank.