Recently, one of UK’s biggest graduate recruiters Ernst & Young announced that it would be scrapping the degree classification from its entry criteria. To arrive at the decision, the accountancy firm found no evidence linking success at university with achievement in later life and as such the hiring process could be missing out on key talent from disadvantaged backgrounds, who perform averagely at school.

Employers and firm managers have always complained about graduates having academic papers, but not matching job expectations. However, is it right to conclude that a good academic degree is no guarantee to success?

"Definitely not, academic papers are just evidence that you have gone through a system,” says Professor Bideri Ishuheri Nyamulinda, the acting director of research, consultancy and postgraduate studies at University of Rwanda College of Business and Economics.

Bideri explains that employers expect employees to have capacity of delivering tasks as required and when recruiting for a job, no special treatment is provided for fresh graduates.

"It is quite unfair but this is what it is. Every one needs someone who can match the requirements and perform the tasks in a job description thus a good first class degree won’t land you a job,” he adds.

To give graduates a smooth landing; some firms contact institutions to recommend a few of their best students for particular job openings.

However, Bideri maintains that even if an institution seconds a graduate for a post, they are not in position to defend his or her competence in front of the hiring employer.

"For example, I was contacted by some firm this year to suggest someone for recruitment. I recommended someone with a first-class degree, but unfortunately he was not hired because of his poor communication skills,” Bideri notes.

Majority of graduates who are unemployed fail to meet the  skills requirements but sometimes other individuals get jobs below their skill set.

And from the Fourth Rwanda Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey, 13.5 per cent of the graduates are unemployed up from 13 per cent in the previous survey whereas the portion of the underemployed stands at 65 per cent despite economic progress. 

Dr Marvin Mbassana, a lecturer at UR’s College of Business and Economics, recognises that finding suitable employment is still a challenge because of limited jobs, but employers are also interested in candidates with a good personality.

"It is good to have a degree, but if you are to join a workplace, other factors such as attitude are considered in situations where teamwork is a necessity,” Mbassana explains.

He, however, points out that the right candidate for any offer is one with capacity to bring good ideas and abilities of overcoming certain challenges on the table.

"Even in an African setting today, individuals who are in position to demonstrate new ideas and problem-solving skills are always preferred,” he adds.

Taking TVET for granted

Several studies have also found that not every one can be employed in an office, and as such, the Rwandan government through its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system seeks to promote more job-creators than job-seekers. By 2018, it is projected that 60 per cent of students will be under TVET while the rest will be in general education.

But Engineer Deogene Mulindahabi, the principal of Integrated Polytechnic College Kicukiro, points out that much as vocational institutions are providing better skills for graduates to meet the demands of the job market, some students have exhibited a lot of laxity.

"Students have this misconception that graduating is an automatic qualification for a job. The institution cannot give you 100 per cent but most of them still do not know this,” Mulindahabi argues.

His other concern is that skills development starts right away on the first day a student joins an institution.

"Most freshers fail to turn up during the induction week yet it is during this period that we offer career guidance and introduce them each to a mentor. Each lecturer by default becomes a mentor. When your mentor tells you to go on the building site and practice, it helps you acquire more skills before completing your three years,” he adds.

Employers on today’s graduates

During the course of university education, graduates also have an opportunity to gain sufficient skills through internship, which means that on top of academics it is a must to train with firms, including those from the private sector, to improve the hands-on experience.

But Lydia Hakizimana, the president of the Young Entrepreneurship Centre at the Private Sector Federation (PSF), is rather disappointed with the behaviour of some students who get internship opportunities.

"Students apply for these internships under a competitive process. When we give them an opportunity, just a handful take them seriously,” Hakizimana says.

Her other disappointment is that the interns still proceed with less concentration as they settle in despite the maintenance expenses.

"In the first week, students are humble and abide by the rules, in the second week they are now used to environment, in the third week, interest shifts to social media such as face book and sadly in the forth week they have totally lost it.”

"Remember, at PSF, in addition to the internship we provide a monthly transport allowance of Rwf60,000.  How do you expect us to feel about the bills we meet when you behave just the way you want?” she asks.

For Rebson Dzara, the managing director of Linkage Point, a recruitment agency, the problem of lack of skills starts from the family and is the root cause of high unemployment rate among the youth.

"From the time our parents start telling us stories, that is where it begins. Youth should first understand what they want to become. If your father is a pastor, would you become one? If your father is a mechanic, would you want to be like him? It is these stories that result into how big children think,” Dzara says.

Andrew Kanyonya, the director of business development at New Kigali Designers, is, however, optimistic that challenges of skills can be fixed within the academic institutions.

"Institutions now need to specialise and have complete assembly points. For example, Tumba College should handle mechanics, while IPRC East handles agriculture. This way we shall be in position to produce fully skilled people,” he says.

Kanyonya also acknowledges that the lack of sufficient skills has resulted into local people failing to perform some tasks which results into importing labour.

"For instance, the construction of an oil pipeline will soon require over 3,000 welders which we do not have; we need to train these people.  Students also need to focus on networking and taking advantage of other opportunities available,” he adds.

Students who cannot find jobs but have good ideas also have an opportunity of generating good business plans and through the Business Development Fund find capital to facilitate their businesses.

But Innocent Bulindi, the chief executive officer for the Business Development Fund, is concerned that youth on top of lack of experience  usually present non-feasible ideas.

"Usually, youth come up with good proposals and we pick interest in helping them access capital, but on occasions some people design unrealistic budgets. For example, they draw budgets of over Rwf50 million. It appears like someone just wants to abuse the system,” Bulindi explains.

He, however, adds that if only youth settled to build their ideas using reasonable funds, the problem of unemployment would be solved and more investments would be promoted.

"People need to understand that a business should start small and then grow. They should focus on operating with  limited resources but yield positive results,” he adds.

Student’s views on selection criteria for employment

Ephraim Rutagarama, a fourth-year student of statistics at University of Rwanda, Butare campus, believes employers have their own specifications, saying he takes no offense for strict job requirements.

"I have so far attended two interviews, but the interview that challenged me most was that of Ministry of Agriculture. I failed it but have not given up because I realised I messed up during the oral interview,” Rutagarama says.

Didace Ntambara, the guild president of UR’s College of Education, advises youth to focus on skills development whether they have plans to look for jobs or to create their own

"Employers are right and they will continue demanding for certain skills, but even if it is self-employment, one needs a minimum of certain skills to run an enterprise,” Ntambara says.

Brandine Inshimwe, a third-year student at IPRC Kicukiro campus, is concerned that some times employers ask for too much work experience and for that matter prefers self employment.

"You find majority of employers asking for more than two years experience, you have all the other skills but that alone is a limiting factor,” she explains.

Does a university degree guarantee job success?

James Ntambiye, accountant

Degrees are important for job success because they are a requirement during job search and many job offers require applicants to possess such qualifications. Even with the desirable skills, one will need to present their academic papers as proof that they have the required knowledge to perform certain jobs.

Catherine Benagusenga, chef in Kimironko

Being equipped with the required skills to do certain jobs is more important than having a degree. Most people hold degrees but lack the ability to do well at work for reasons such as having been spoon-fed in school. The fundamental thing is the ability of one to work efficiently.

Peter Igiraneza, parent at University of Nairobi

It is not necessary to have a degree for one to be successful at job. Going to university to get a degree is just a formality for some people. For me it is just more than holding a degree; one requires to be innovative hardworking and know what they want in their life.

Annette Ingabire, caterer

A degree is not a necessity for job success. There are several graduates plying various offices for job opportunities in vain. Rather, it would be better if one had some skills on top of the degree so they can easily put those skills into use by starting their own business and employ others as well.

Carine Uwineza, a S3 student at Mother Mary Complex

It is very essential to have a degree because it helps one to specialise in the particular field they are trained in. Still, one needs to have skills in order to do their work better. Personally, I will consider both since they are the tools that will keep me going throughout my life.

Armond Nduwamungu, S2 students at Exceller School

A degree is important because it is one of the requirements usually considered by many employers when promoting their staff. We are also in school so that one day we will graduate with various degrees which can act as a tool for securing us jobs.