Give him another Chance!

I have always thought that I can consider myself a hard working person and that I am not lazy when it comes to putting effort in at work and home.  However, in speaking to friends on holiday who have emigrated I have realised that we have have become rather insulated in our country with the system we had in the past and that compared to other countries we may (not all) have become complacent and driven in the wrong areas.  It is a fact that we had a brain drain several years ago, but as a nation we are still very focused on what profession we want our children to become and we think very much in terms of professions as opposed to work and jobs.  In other countries I have discovered for example that you can make a very good living as a bus driver, or a teacher or a lawyer and all integrate together.  There is a lot more scope to succeed and I think sometimes that this lessens the pressure on our future generation and gives momentum to industry and unity in a country.  If one looks at the latest matric results and once again how poorly many kids have performed, then I think government is missing a trick in its education policies and more emphasis should be placed on running trade and artisan schools simultaneously with the main stream curriculum, so that children that are identified for practical working positions are not "kept in school" only to fail and then after school to struggle to find jobs.  For example, in my industry I have felt for many years that there are far too many legal graduates and definately not enough work or jobs, but still the system is churning out kids who want to be a lawyer.  But in other places, law is broken into many more facets, like processing courses for legal documents, paralegal positions, managerial positions and even assistants who make very good livings, without  a degree.  Our country I believe more than anything needs employment and positions to be created willingly by companies and where the employee does not necessarily have an expectation of being the MD or CEO (especially not within the first few years of work), but rather have realistic goals. This need not affect the entrepreneurial spirit in this country.  We seem to have a generation now that wants to have BCom, LLB, Bsc and BEng degrees only, but there is a massive group of people who could and should be the artisans doing the daily work.  I found it fascinating to hear of the story of a real estate agent overseas who is now an apprentice electrician in his forties and yet in both jobs, he sustains a family with ease.  Firstly, that would never happen in this country and secondly the confidence of the man strikes me as impressive.  The community also completely accept him and support him and there is no judgement for what you have on a "piece of paper". I think we need to stop trying to force people through a schooling system only for them to drop away completely because there are no jobs.  I for one will begin to look a lot more respectfully on appointments I make and encourage others to have the confidence to step out and pursue their passions without feeling like they cant "make it".   This country needs way more workers and people committed to a job, instead of letting the past rule and determine the entitlement that presently exists.  Imagine a SA with everyone employed and focused on success of the country and not just themselves.  It is a simple concept really, it just takes an attitude of service and respect and it is way more achievable than we think as first world countries achieve it every day.