For many career paths, core learning seemingly stops after the undergraduate degree and entry into the job market with post graduate courses and certifications viewed as embellishments with some even questioning the value of others such as the MBA.
The easy way out is to hire from the crop of freshly minted graduates with the expectation that they will carry with them the make-up and understanding of the future, a fast track or cheat sheet if you will.
Unfortunately this leaves one with a crutch, unable to fully conceptualise that which may be presented.
Every business is a technology business and staying ahead of the curve requires that executives at the helm of every organisation must make effort to update themselves and remain relevant in what is a fast paced and ever changing business and competitive landscape.
For many career paths, core learning seemingly stops after the undergraduate degree and entry into the job market with post graduate courses and certifications viewed as embellishments with some even questioning the value of others such as the MBA.
I say this not to discredit or negate the pursuit of post graduate papers but to lend more weight to the pursuit of critical knowledge that would in future proof ones place in the workforce while allowing for better mid to long term strategy outlays that are cognizant of what is coming and also what is possible.
Many times, as one climbs the ranks or gets immersed in running their business, it gets harder over time to keep up with the market shaping trends; the daily grind of operations taking a toll on available hours.
The easy way out is to hire from the crop of freshly minted graduates with the expectation that they will carry with them the make-up and understanding of the future, a fast track or cheat sheet if you will.
Unfortunately this leaves one with a crutch, unable to fully conceptualise that which may be presented. I have seen this result in the death of great and transformative product and service concepts in the boardroom. Software and technology is eating up the world, and it’s the reinvention, disruption and the discovery of markets that will now push everyone towards upskilling and reskilling outside traditional certification.
Content for many of the emerging disruptive technologies has been ‘dumbed down’ sufficiently to, in most cases, allow for self-paced learning whose most difficult requirement would in my opinion be the discipline and dedication to set time aside and plough through coursework and the real-world problem projects that make part of the curriculum.
I am not saying that you now run off to become a guru at machine learning, block chain, artificial intelligence or the next big thing in cloud computing, but rather make time to develop a baseline understanding of the various stacks and technologies that will have you hold your own, allow for the framing of appropriate questions and the making of informed decisions.
Njihia is the head of Business and Partnerships at Sure Corporation | www.mbuguanjihia.com | @mbuguanjihia
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