When reckless celebrations cost young people opportunities
Last month was graduation season that saw many young people graduate from various institutions.
Since graduation marks a milestone in the lives of students, it’s such a joyful event, which evokes various emotions.
Most graduates/recruits believe that the academic certificates presented to them by the various institutions of higher learning would open doors that were previously locked, hence the excitement that comes with it.
Others celebrate for having endured tough trainings and hardship. And as they celebrate their wins and victories, some reckless, sometimes innocent rants or banters cost young people opportunities in life.
For instance, there was one viral video clip of newly graduated General Service Unit (GSU) officers recording themselves as they made some irresponsible and reckless remarks during the 48th passing-out-parade at the National Police College Embakasi B Campus in Nairobi.
In the video clip, the fairly young looking and overly excited officers were seen boasting that they “are coming out” and that this was the “bad squad in red beret.”
Kenyans on social media shared concerns over the video; with some saying it portrays a group of men more keen on issuing threats than serving people.
The National Police Service (NPS) through a statement condemned the behaviour and noted that appropriate measures would be taken regarding the indecent and reckless behaviour portrayed by the officers and divulged that an internal review would be carried out to ensure appropriate disciplinary action is taken against those found culpable.
Suleiman Mbatiah who recently graduated with a Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Media Communications (Print Option) at Mount Kenya University says humans are goal-oriented beings hence tend to be excited about their various achievements.
Training gap
“For some people, celebrating an achievement is a mere success story, but to others, it is a forum to inspire others. However, the celebrations should be confined to professional ideologies,” says Mbatiah.
“For example, those in disciplined forces should celebrate in a manner that epitomises the set ethos.
Let the celebrations display the professional skills attained as well as the hard work and dedication put in to realise the goal.
That is to say the celebrations should display your professional strength,” he adds.
Douglas Anunda, a lecturer at a middle-level college who teaches media and journalism says the people who are charged with training graduates and recruits are partly to blame for the bad behaviour witnessed among some graduands.
“As a trainer, I normally advice my students that finishing college or university is not the end of everything, getting a job is another thing altogether, hence they shouldn’t lose their focus with too much excitement,” says Anunda.
“There are people who paint the world to portray a picture that after one has completed their training, then they are free to do anything.
However, that is not right. During training, there is need to equip these students with knowledge on how they need to conduct themselves appropriately and in terms of their behaviour so that other people can look up to them,” he adds.
Draw the line
According to him, when these graduands are still in college, they look up to the people who are already in these professions and think that once they graduate, they are going to get what this professional has or does since they are in the same job cadre. However, that is not the case.
Anne Mbotela, a Career Coach and Founder and CEO of the Writer’s Harbour says there are two sides to every coin when you are talking about career development among young people.
“I have trained both the older and younger people in various fields. Those in college are in a sensitive sector of their lives and when you are in a sensitive sector, you have to draw the line and know what can mess up your career,” says Mbotela.
“I train my trainees on soft skills. Even when you are celebrating your wins, sometimes there is a bias in certain careers on how one conducts themselves.
The question that needs to be asked is how sensitive is your sector. How do you keep it sane?
Good public image
According to the career coach, the terminologies you use as a graduand and the position you are in requires a soft skill on how you communicate even within your celebrations.
“Basically, there are ethics that govern how one does their work. For the GSU graduands, for instance, what happened was unfortunate.
Rightfully, they were celebrating, but in the wrong way. When talking to young people, it becomes difficult to discipline where you are not trained. They need to be trained then disciplined.
People need to know that if you are going to join a certain career, then you have to be careful on how you will carry yourself,” says Mbotela.
Career development, she says, is a very important aspect and there is need to know that as much as you are developing your career, you are also developing yourself, hence the need to portray a good image both in the public and private space.
