The whole of this week, the University of Rwanda is conducting its first graduation ceremony a year after seven public universities were merged. By the time all colleges are done with their graduations, over 10,000 new graduates will hit the streets. But will the government or private sector have the capacity to absorb them all? That is the One Million Dollar question. Their only salvation comes in pairs: They either create their own employment, or seek greener pastures. With the current integration process of the East African Community, the latter is a viable option. But are our graduates ready to compete regionally? Are they ready for the labour market? This is where the private sector can make a difference. By coming forward and opening their doors to the new graduates to serve as interns, they will be giving the latter a fighting chance; they will gain on-the-job experience. Most fresh graduates have the misconception that once armed with their credentials, employment opportunities will come knocking in a jiffy; it will not be long before they are proven wrong. They should be informed in no uncertain terms that it is a cutthroat environment out there; only those better-armed succeed and job experience will always carry the day. That is what the new job seekers should aim for; internship, whether paid or unpaid. Their utopian pot of gold will not come the easy way; they will have to fight for it. And so, they should go for it well-prepared.
