RE: A Certificate May Open the Door, but a Skill Keeps You in the Room

This is one of those conversations I think we need to have more often in Nigeria. But nope, our president said we should fry akara and roast corn instead. That aside, we’ve been conditioned to see certificates as the safest route to success, while practical skills are kinda treated as a backup plan. Yet, in reality, a skill can become an income stream regardless of whether a traditional job comes through.

Sometimes, I do wish my parents made me acquire a skill before pushing me to the university. Although I agree that it doesn’t have to be certificate vs. skill as there is value in having both. Education can give you knowledge, structure and opportunities, while a practical skill gives something tangible we can actually do and monetize.

This is also one of the reasons I’ve sworn to learn a skill in the coming year. I don’t want to keep assuming that my certificate will be enough to figure everything out for me. I’m still saving for the possibility and trying to decide what skill makes the most sense, but I definitely want to have something practical in my hands.