How To Make Your Degree Count

By Kellen Owente

One of the trainings on the third and final day of the first ever New Vision Education Expo was on making one’s university degree count. 

The three-day expo got under way on Friday at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Nakawa, Kampala.

The Sunday afternoon training, attended by scores of mostly youthful paticipants, was facilitated by Dr. Diana Nandagire Ntamu, an entrepreneurship development specialist.

She tipped participants on how to take advantage of their qualification. 

“It is important for one to discover one’s strengths, skills, hobbies, and talents so as to develop a business idea that will bring you opportunities in life,” she said. 

“Start by identifying the problem faced by the people in your community that will need to be solved. People will be willing to pay you for addressing the problem, especially when there is no one addressing it or some are not doing it well.”

Also related: 115 pictures from Day 3 of education expo

Nandagire underlined that many people innovate business ideas, but mistake them for being opportunities.

She said such ideas can only come to fruition when they are attractive to customers by addressing gaps in the market.  

“If you are going to do a business, be sure that you are addressing a need, a gap, a problem you need the resources and skills.”

Also related: Pay attention to your child – Dr Kitaka

Nandagire assured the attendees that they do not have to have access to resources, but can take advantage of their social capital, including friends and family, to be able to exploit various opportunities. 

‘Age-appropriate responsibility’

In the morning session, renowned paediatrician Dr. Sabrina Kitaka facilitated a training on early child development and education.

Ernest Agaba, one of the many who attended the trainings, said the expo sessions have helped him understand that it is important to help his children become sensible and responsible parents. 

“I attended the parenting session yesterday [Staurday] and today on early childhood education,” he said.

“I have learnt to give my children age-appropriate responsibility and encourage self-reliance so that they can develop the life skills on which to base their decisions.”