Youth advised to build skills, not chase quick money after national service

By Solomon Nartey Tetteh

Youth Development Advocate, Elliot Nene Ayitah, has urged young Ghanaians completing their national service to focus on building capacity and skills rather than chasing quick financial rewards.

Speaking on the Business Breakfast Show on Zed 101.9FM, Mr Ayitah observed that many service personnel enter the job market with a sense of entitlement, expecting well-paying positions immediately after their mandatory service year.

“Most of the national service personnel come out thinking the world owes them a good job. It’s all about money, not training, not networking, not building capacity,” he said.

Mr Ayitah explained that his early career was not driven by money but by the desire to gain relevant skills and experience that would make him valuable in the industry.

“I wanted to build capacity, to train myself, to be relevant. Entitlement is something service personnel must take out of their minds,” he stressed.

He cautioned that the tasks given during service, whether trivial or substantial, may not guarantee future employment unless personnel use the opportunity to learn and prove their worth.

“Even if all you did during service was buy food or make photocopies, that’s not a skill a company will keep you on for. You need to build something different you can bring to the table,” Mr Ayitah explained.

The youth advocate shared how his communication skills set him apart during an interview at a fintech company.

“Out of five candidates, the interviewer saw I could speak and express myself. That’s why he put me in sales and that was my break,” he added.

Mr Ayitah also noted that national service should be seen as a stepping stone for personal growth, not an automatic gateway to high-paying jobs.