In today’s job market, no employer is looking for an ordinary graduate. No company wants to hire plain degree holders. Hiring panelists are always looking for extraordinary applicants. The best candidates stand tall from the crowd. Besides, having an added advantage gives you more opportunities even for further studies. In some cases, your must-do short term courses will depend on what you are pursuing. Do you want to be this extraordinary graduate? Then before you graduate, ensure you have done the following short-term courses.
Computer Packages
Are you computer literate? Any graduate without computer knowledge deserves no job. This is just inexcusable. Do whatever it takes to acquire these skills before you clear college. In any case, most computer colleges offer flexible timetables including evening classes to accommodate everyone. Today, no course can be exempted from technology.
CPA- Certified Public Accountants
Who should do CPA? Do you need CPA if you are studying Biology or communication? Initially, students pursuing careers in business needed CPA-K certificate more than guys in other fields. Those days are gone. Today, almost every undergraduate student is doing CPA, has completed or is planning to enroll. While being CPA-K holder does not guarantee you a job, it puts you ahead of others and gives you added advantage.
Foreign Languages
You remember how you quickly dropped French classes in high school because you saw no need of doing a foreign language. Well, you might have been a village boy or girl then, but the opportunities coming your way are not aware of the village in you. For students in communication, you need an extra foreign language besides your broken English. Enroll for French, German, and Chinese etc. If you are in Nairobi, it becomes easier because colleges offering these courses are all over.
TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language.
Do you have a dream of studying in the U.S? Then TOEFL is necessary for you. TOEFL is a measure of English Language ability for non-native speakers. Since English is not your first language, after all you struggled to score that ‘B’, enroll for TOEFL as soon as possible and be a certified speaker.
General Advice: Some short-term courses largely depend on your career. For example, if you are studying journalism, you may need certification in Graphic design, Photoshop, Editing, etc. Are you studying mathematics? Then you need Data analysis packages like SPSS, R-program, and SAS/STAT etc.
Lastly, do not sacrifice your academics for a short-term course. If you cannot handle them concurrently, do each at a time.
