What Next After KCSE?

What next after KCSE?

Understanding Your Career Options After the Results

Congratulations! 

You must be wondering why we say congratulations before we know how you performed in your KCSE. We are not mistaken. We say congratulations because KCSE, and the results therein, are not a verdict for your life path- they are but a transition point. A point at which you move on to the next stage in life.

There is a whole emotional rollercoaster around the waiting, receiving of the results and the need to make choices based on those results. This is very understandable, but also, we would like you to acknowledge the blessing that Kenya’s Education system offers multiple career pathways apart from university. 

First things first- Do my KCSE Results Determine My Future?

Absolutely Not!

Your grades in KCSE are very important. Needless to say, we have cut-off points being mentioned right, left and centre. However, you must not let these cut-off points blur your vision and prevent you from seeing how else you can get to your desired place in your career. Keep in mind that grades open certain doors, but they do not close all others.

Many successful professionals started with modest grades and built careers through skills, experience and continuous learning. That can be your life after KCSE if you have the right mindset.

In other words, choosing the right pathway does not depend entirely on your KCSE grade. It also depends on understanding the available options, your personal strengths and knowing and believing in your long-term goals.

What Options are Available After KCSE in Kenya?

Apart from the traditionally highly regarded university education, Kenya offers other options that not only give you a place to kick off your career just like university, but also give you highly and quickly marketable skills. The two major options are:

• Technical and Vocational Training (TVET)- Practical skills-based learning designed to prepare learners for specific industries.

• Short professional or skills-based courses- Trainings that are very focused and often run for a few weeks or months. 

What should you consider before choosing your next step?

There are many career guidance centres- some colleges even have this as a major part of their Guidance and Counselling Departments (Kiambu Poly has the best of these)- but generally, here is what you should keenly think of as you choose a course after KCSE, or even just as you think about how you would like your career life to pun out:

• Personal interests and strengths- Away from the ‘career noise’ out here that keeps telling you what you must do to be of a certain in society, to make your parents proud or to land a job quickly, if you end up doing something that does not excite you to do, or that doesn’t come easy to you, you will struggle from the core, and will have a very difficult time even in the workplace.

• Preferred learning style- Some people are born scholars- they find pleasure in absorbing the knowledge and using it to influence the practicals. Others, however, prefer very practical learning from the word go. You need to know which of these suits you best and how different courses are done, then make an informed choice.

• Time and financial considerations- You also need to find out how long various courses take so that as you go in, you are aware how long you’ll be in college. Some people go in only to realize that they would have wanted to go into the job market earlier, say because of financial responsibilities, but did not consider such options. You should also know how much you require, not just at the start of the course but also throughout, so that you plan your finances well.

• Long-term career growth- You may want to do, say, a diploma in Electrical Engineering- but is there some other way that you may want to advance later? What are the options? It is good to know how your starting point connects to your long term career goals.

Take time, get information and choose with Confidence

When all is said and done, you need accurate information. Therefore, take some time to browse through the pages, make calls and even visit institutions. Ask the right questions and avoid making rushed decisions.

You may not have all the right answers as you start, but at this stage, focusing on having the right foundation is key. This requires confidence. Once you make your choice, step in with confidence.

With the right guidance and training environment, every learner can find a meaningful path forward.

To apply for any of the many courses offered at the best National Polytechnic in Kenya, Click here.