Lagos-based development expert and thought leader, Dare Dairo, has urged youths to rise above sentimental judgement and undue profiling of a potential employer in their quest to secure a means of livelihood.
The advice comes amid controversy surrounding popular TikToker, Peller, who allegedly posted an ad seeking to hire a Master’s degree holder as a cameraman despite being a secondary school graduate himself.
According to Dairo, if a candidate meets the job requirements, they should apply regardless of the employer’s educational background.
The statement reads, “There’s a trending issue about a tiktoker who himself is just a secondary school graduate who allegedly puts out an ad out to employ a Masters degree holder as a cameraman.
“Fundamentally, let me state here that if you meet those requirements for the job and you refuse to apply just because the employer is an illiterate, then your education is a waste because it has failed to enlighten your mind to sift through critical variables and make informed and effective decisions.
“With such a mindset like yours, your degree is worth less than the paper it’s printed on,” he added.
Dairo, who is the General Manager of the Lagos State Office of Disability Affairs, strongly criticized the education system, saying it has failed to adapt to the changing job market.
“For our society that is castigating the young man, it’s a pity that again, we’re failing to realise the fact that the world has moved several steps ahead of us. There’s been a drastic change in the dynamics of values exchange for money.
“In the past, people create content (music, film, etc) and start chasing pirates to protect their investment. Today, people put their content on YouTube and other platforms and share the link for people to download these content for free.
“Our education system is a catastrophic failure because it is designed to churn out lorry drivers for a workforce that is hiring pilots.”
Why it matters
The development expert warned that failure to adapt to change can lead to obsolescence, citing examples of once-leading brands like Flickr, Nokia, Kodak, and MySpace that failed to keep up with industry trends.
“For our young man at his prime looking to hire a cameraman with a PhD, I hope he’s building the right team around himself that is challenging him to stay ahead of the trends.
“Flickr, Nokia, Kodak, and MySpace were leading top earning brands in their prime. They’re nowhere to be found today. They did nothing wrong. They just couldn’t keep up with change. Change is happening to us all. I hope our young Peller is also preparing for the inevitable realities of Change,” he warned.
Talking Points
As the job market continues to evolve, Techparley shares the sentiment that it’s crucial for job seekers to be open-minded and adaptable.
Dairo’s warning that failure to adapt to change can lead to obsolescence is a timely reminder for entrepreneurs and job seekers alike.
And, the examples of once-leading brands like Flickr, Nokia, Kodak, and MySpace that failed to keep up with industry trends serve as a cautionary tale.
