Youth unemployment in Tanzania is still a major issue and concern for the country. Adolescents are facing a crippling problem that can derail their future and endanger the future of the nation.
The youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Adolescents in Tanzania are facing unemployment and are struggling to support themselves and their families financially. It seems that having a Masters degree or Bachelors degree is not enough so what can we do to solve this issue? Even adolescents with a wide range of experience are struggling to get a job.
According to The World Bank reported that around 900,000 young people enter the country’s job market annually, but only 50,000 to 60,000 formal sector jobs are created each year. With more than 66% percent of the population under 25, this job shortage will keep rising.
In Tanzania most of the adolescents are the pillars of the family whereby their family depends on them for financial support.
There is a lot of stress that adolescents face, with the future looking blink they end up going in the wrong direction become depressed and give up on their future with nothing to do they become pikipiki and Bajaji drivers as this is the only way they can make money to help their families.
Some go into another direction which leads them to a bad path where they start hanging out with the wrong crowd who give them bad advice they start partying, drinking and drugs, resort to stealing and going to jail in the end they ruin their lives and lose focus on what’s important.
In a way a lot of this issues occur due to not get enough knowledge while in school. While in school students are given very little career guidance. As a former student I remember that I didn’t get the proper advice in high school and even in University to prepare myself on what’s ahead the lectures didn’t prepare us for what is a head they don’t give the students proper advice, which is definitely wrong. That’s why until today most students have difficult times in finding themselves and choosing a wrong career move
Students look up to lectures and their teachers so its only right that they give advice and see how they can help the students prepare themselves for the real world. Because the real world is hard they are not many nice people out there who are willing to help, some just don’t care. They are only a few who care and are willing to train you and help you.
Little advice is given to the youth when it comes making informed decisions for instances in choosing their subjects and career paths. Some don’t get enough support system and I am thankful everyday that I got a support system from my family and friends.
For me I knew I wanted to become a journalist since I was ten years old, I started writing when I was six years old, reading novels, watching news from that I knew I wanted to become a journalist.
As I grew older I realized that you need to have the right people around you who will give you real honest advice, people who love you and support you. I research; I started writing articles, short stories to improve on my craft and knew the tools I need to improve my journalistic skills.
Some youths lack adequate and skills needed in their jobs while others are employed in sectors not in line with their professions.
We at Tai offer volunteer and internship work experience and training for the youth from Communication, Project Management, Finance, and Account, Arts and Graphics where the youth get to experience working in the working field and develop their passion and broaden their careers.
I think one approach to increase employment for the youth by providing and offer training so that they can build up their skills, CV, mentoring the young people.
I remember myself getting excited when I finished my Masters degree expecting to get a job so quickly well guess what. I found myself sitting at home for months and months applying for jobs I started getting depressed and feeling down asking myself why? What’s wrong with me I have two degree’s and I have the skills too.
Prior to my Master degree I had work experience thankfully which helped my CV. After much talk from my family and friends they gave me some insightful advice they told me that I have to start again. I know it’s hard but sometimes in life it takes you into a loop and it’s okay to start again cause you never who you might meeting down the road.
Working at Tai has being a blessing it has made me see my potential so don’t ever give up! Failure is not option.
