Positive change in today’s society can be achieved through empowering and engaging the youth.
If young people are not actively involved in important activities in society, they can be destructive and thus a negative change in society.
Creating a favourable environment that provides an opportunity for youth leadership will enable them to develop the skills needed for change in society.
This will allow them to serve others. Youth can also be empowered by being given internship opportunities.
The change of life stages from a student to a professional is not always very simple.
Young people have to face many challenges when they get into their professional life.
They have to adjust themselves according to the professional environment by implementing their conceptual knowledge in the new world of work.
Usually, they use their skills and theoretical basic knowledge in their first jobs.
By integrating conceptual knowledge and training through internship programs, young graduates can be facilitated to better implement their concepts in the workplace.
Internships are a bridge to link theory and practice by taking part in supervised and scheduled work.
These internship programmes improve the young person’s skills and polish their professional growth and experience.
Internships create beneficial relationships between organisations and talent that encourage both economic and personal growth.
Interns can bring innovative ideas and diversity to an organisation while employers can provide the young interns with leadership and managerial experience.
Such symbiotic relationships allow interns to become immersed in real-world experiences and develop their skills in a preferred trade.
Organisations are then able to test out potential employees and create a strong and steady talent pipeline.
However, like any relationship, commitment and investment must come from both sides.
Young people invest their time, talents, and fresh perspectives in organisations that allow them to do meaningful work that garners physical and analytical results.
Organisations must then invest in the interns through training and professional development.
The government should try and ensure that young people after graduation should get internship opportunities from the many organisations capable of assisting them in acquiring more skills, improving their employment prospects, and probably establishing relationships with mentors.
Besides getting a foot in the door with a potential employer and looking good on a resume, internships give young people the opportunity to test their careers, increase chances to network and introduce them to the field's culture and etiquette.
In as much as unemployment is at the crescent, creating internship opportunities can sharpen the young generation to witness how organizations develop leaders rather than just learning or reading about it.
They can observe excellent time management skills and make a note of the things they want to emulate.
Globalisation means the world’s economy and business landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, and as a result, businesses and employers are in desperate need of those who have the knowledge, skills and proven capabilities of working in such settings.
More chances for internships will offer a valuable insight into the country.
Many young people with their degrees or certificates stashed away are waiting for jobs they have less or zero experience with, due to less exposure or lack of motivation, which in the end leads to them being idle and their mental health getting disturbed and they become destructive.
Many of them, though learned, seek solace in drugs and are swayed easily to participate in violence and inhuman acts.
If we don't give young people a chance, we will kill their desire, they should be allowed to connect with influencers and gain professional contacts that will assist them to become competitive in the job market.
Youth active participation cannot be ignored if there has to be any positive change in our societies.
Institutional activities should therefore be carried out with youths in mind.
Relevant information should be provided for the development of youth programmes.
To engage young people, one has to make use of good communication methods.
They must be given the power to influence important decisions, this will allow them to be active and creative hence empowering youth engagement in the society.
Intern at the Centre for the study of adolescence
Edited by Kiilu Damaris