Growing up is filled with enthusiasm, big plans and visions. No one at an early age has a wish of not achieving much or joining the well-known professional practitioners. Using me as an example, there is something so special about the term Engineer. I don’t know what it takes to become one; neither do I know what the profession is all about. My concern is the satisfaction of answering Engineer.
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In my primary school days, once we are asked the regular question, what do you want to become in the future, I don’t hesitate to respond because, there is already an existing career fantasy in my mind that I am clueless on how to achieve it.
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My motivation in choosing my career fantasy like I mentioned early is the Title. The accolade sounds so amazing when I hear someone address me as an Engineer. I desire for the same accolade so dearly that I forgot other existing career paths. Secondly, few people I saw addressed as Engineers looked wealthy in my own analysis as a child. They dress well, and also have cars.
Were these reasons enough for a little champ like me to desire such a career?
Asking us what we want to become in the future back in primary school days was entertaining and educational, but thinking about it now made me observe that the question is incomplete.
Almost every child like me then has an answer to that question. In fact, some of them can give you multiple options, an answer that tarries with what his/her peers chose, or possibly a different choice all together the next day. I was discussing with a few of them recently, none of them has less than three amazing career paths they would love to embrace. On how to get there and why they want to get there is what they are oblivion of.
I was in that situation for years. Today, of all my desire to be an Engineer, I am not close to it at all, though I am busy creating value.
I think the next time we ask the younger ones what they want to become, we should not forget to also ask them WHY they chose such a profession or career and HOW they wish to achieve it. The answer to the WHY should be our concern rather than the 'big' career most of them will not near in the future that they will mention.
The truth is that most of them might not have an answer to the WHY, while others will have very good motives that lack base and purpose like my little me, others may have wrong motives, some might give you an excellent response. Any answer they come up with, pay attention to it.
The good book said, Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverb 22:6 NIV
Instead of making them learn the big career names, teach them how to create the right values, positive intent, and purposeful pursuit first and more. As time goes on they will learn how to attach careers to a value and properly place the right intention to their pursuit. To me, that is the basic understanding of purpose. This will help a child to choose a career not because of the monetary value, rather the impact s/he desires to create.
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I appreciate every school that carries out Career weeks for their pupils, and I will like to encourage other schools, especially public schools to follow suit. School management should use that period to explain to our kids the values one can create through these careers. Help them to answer the WHY of any career choice they want to embrace, and also help them to know how to become one.
No career should be neglected.
Happy New Month