‘Who said that because you have a degree you must be employed?’ Raha asked his audience. The previously enthusiastic faces all looked at him with confusion. The lecturers who had invited him to speak to the students started shifting uncomfortably in their seats. They seemed to be telepathically communicating their doubts about him to each other. This did not deter Raha. He went on to tell his story… ‘Thank you for your time and interest in this position. We will reach out to you to notify you of the next steps.’ Raha had already lost count of the number of times he had heard this statement. It may have been said in different words but the underlying tone never changed. The neutral smile of interviewers when shaking his hand started to look cruel and passive aggressive. What exactly were all these companies looking for anyway? He did everything right! He was a top student from primary school and completed his Bsc in Finance and Marketing with a first class. Wasn't that the key to success? Raha left th

e office building feeling dejected and defeated. He knew that he would have to face his parents later during the day. The pressure to get a job and move out was weighing heavily on him. Everyone started to look at him as a failure, even the relatives who barely managed to scrape a certificate after high school thought that they could whisper about him behind his back. No one understood how difficult it was to get a job. His parents were doctors and they couldn't help to connect him anywhere. They always subliminally mentioned how he had wasted his intelligence on a common course and should have done medicine instead. But his friends who did medicine didn't seem to be faring well either. Education may have been the key, but someone somewhere had changed the locks. And everyone was left with a useless key. Raha walked aimlessly in the streets trying to come up with a solution to his problem. How could he adapt to the changing world? By the time the sky started to get dark, he had come up with a plan. The only

thing left was to try and convince his parents. ‘Carpentry? Did I hear my own things?’ his father asked him. ‘Can you imagine the son of respected doctors being a carpenter? Why didn't you just poison my food instead of trying to give me a heart attack?’ Raha looked to his mother for support but all he saw was confusion. ‘The course will take me only six months. Once I set up my business I will p

If the rhythm of the drumbeats changes, the dancers must adapt.

ay you back. I've never failed in anything I've done. Just give me this chance!’ Raha pleaded with them. The next month he was enrolled in a technical institute. The field was completely unfamiliar to him but he knew he had to succeed. Everyone in his class thought that he didn't fit in. Even the lecturers would mock him during practicals because his hands seemed too soft. But he never relented. Six months later he got his certificate and the respect of all his teachers and classmates. One teacher offered him an internship as an assistant in an affluent furniture shop. There he learned the business and even developed a passion for interior design. ‘The rest is history.’ Raha said to his audience. ‘When I got into that carpentry program, my family was ashamed of me. My parents were mocked and our relationship became strained. But I had to continue. What I discovered after my last interview is that there are too many people seeking employment and not enough training to be employers. What is stopping you from using your skills to start a business? Don't be deterred by the difficulties. Getting a job is also difficult. What you need to decide while you still have time, is what your true purpose is. Thank you for your time.’ The audience clapped. As everyone left the hall, one young man came to Raha. He was tall and skinny. But what stood out was his t-shirt. Raha shook his hand and smiled as the man thanked him for boosting his confidence with his lecture. Raha then asked, ‘What does your t-shirt mean?’ He responded, ‘Unemployed CEO? Isn't that what you are?’ Raha laughed as the young man walked away