The 21st century education and its students

Charles is obsessed with the vision of an economically robust Africa through excellent leadership. He is an avid writer and blogger who has a level of experience in digital and social media communication. He is the Brands and Media director of 1 Billion Africa. He is a HeySuccess social media intern.

The advent of technology has bridged the widening gap in our current dispensation. Computers, social media, and other electronic materials are the communication media through which information flows. We are all excited about how we can reach thousands of people through a web or mobile application. Indeed, the proliferation of these apps and electronic mediums are of great importance in the era we find ourselves. In the corporate settings, virtual meetings are on web platforms like Google Hangouts, Skype and so on. WhatsApp also enables friends and loved ones to reach each other across the globe. Work goes on in every place one finds himself only if he has an internet connection or a network’s mobile data. The global village that we all talk about obviously is at play.

The use of Google search, Google Drive, and other Google apps for e-learning has cause a major stride in the development of education. The internet, coupled with technology and digital media make it possible for learning to take place. This revolution, although is of great importance to the corporate world also makes a very useful impact on education. My focus is on the student and life after the education into the corporate setting.

Graduate unemployment has been on the rise lately and its alarming rate is quite disturbing. The statistics are frightening and parents, governments, universities and students are all unhappy with the trend. Various policies have been launched by these governments, the institutions are doing their best to design course modules to suit the job market, and parents are also looking for the best schools to put their children into, while students are also studying very hard to get the grade required to secure their future job. But the question is, why is skill increasing or reducing at a decreasing rate? Why are we still troubled about the level of graduate unemployment in today’s society? What are we doing wrong? Many questions will pop out but there is an answer and a solution to every question on earth. Thus we, especially students can change things to better ourselves, since we are greatly affected by these social issues.

Let us take a critical and cursory gaze and analyse this social plight.   Corporate entities have revolved from the academic excellence merit of giving opportunities to students who possess the academic prowess to those who have analytical skills, those who have a couple of experiences with other institutions and probably volunteered with organisations for community development. They are looking for students or graduates who have gone beyond academic excellence and challenged the status quo to develop themselves personally. As a matter of fact, fewer universities take time to help students as far as their human and capacity development is concerned. In ending global unemployment, we need to look at the basis of the problem and nip it in the bud, before it becomes uncontrollable. Now, the stakeholders which include the students, who are primary stakeholders have the most work to do in eradicating this problem. They suffer the repercussions most and hence if there are any root causes are somewhat involved.

Every sector and industry have a fair share of technological advancement and new media. Everybody is jumping on to the internet revolution bandwagon and utilising the benefits it has to offer. Students can therefore solve this problems themselves by looking no further than this revolution. Interestingly, the youth of this generation who are real stakeholders of the problem have turned things around for their peers and the upcoming generation. The real challenges which confronts these global graduates can be tackled by themselves in the wake of the crises. HeySuccess.com is a perfect example of all I have explained in the initial stage of this piece. The rise of the digital media. A simple yet detailed masterpiece which presents to you internship opportunities which may be partially or fully paid, scholarships, grant opportunities for your projects, events and competitions. The creativity and innovation to bring opportunities to the doorstep of every student makes the start-up outstanding. I envisage it as a revolution and a movement towards curbing student problems as far as global graduate unemployment is concerned.