Well, I have taken long since I did a serious post, because well I haven’t been serious enough with life. So because today is one of those days when I have gotten time to reflect on my serious past, allow me to share with you in this moment.
This morning I was going through some of my best moments in conferences, mentorship programs and all manner of summits. Those kinds of conferences which have ‘Free entrance, tea and snacks will be provided, there will be CERTIFICATES….’ I have been contemplating about the hundreds of such conferences that I have attended and the tens that I have been part of organizing, the thousands of youths that I have met in these places and the common inspiration is Certificates.
As a matter of fact, if today you want to organize a ‘successful’ youth conference then just put a small line in your poster with the writing ‘certificates will be provided’ yes even if it’s a 30 minutes thing. They will come in hordes, not because they are interested in the content but because of the certification. Well not 100% but 85%. Any serious youth today has at least a certificate they got from attending a conference etc. While am not demonizing certification, its important that we acknowledge the fact that majority of these certificate holders cannot event tell you a thing they got from the conference the attended.
Recently I was in an interview and one of the ladies I sat next to horrified me, her CV had more than 10 attached conference, forum e.t.c certifications. But what was even more shocking was that when asked to name atleast sustainable development goals, she couldn’t yet she had 3 certifications as an SDGs champion.
We have slowly destroyed the value of certification to an extent that any serious interviewer no longer cares about them, but youths are still going to conferences to be certified. Come on there are way better things to gain from forums than a piece of paper. Go to conferences and network, Grow your knowledge and understanding. Don’t work so hard to have a CV that you cant understand yourself, this life goes beyond CVs, there are forums that will open your eyes and make you better, create you networks that will help you get wherever you need to.
Looking back to my 4 years In campus, I have attended forums which have been eye openers, I have met people who have helped to go up my career and I am wiser, more courageous and a better human. Remember certificates are not bad, but they should never be your priority.
