By Hans Ngala
Over the weekend, CNA curated 8 degrees that we qualified as not being in high demand because of the diversifying of the African economy. As to be expected, it generated some backlash (probably from some of those who hold some of these degrees).
However, it should be noted that we referred to the degrees in quotes, so that meant it was a subjective take on the matter and to be taken with a pinch of salt as I did make it clear that the final goal in the pursuit of knowledge is NOT so you can get a job. I did caution however that if you want employment in today’s competitive job market, you may want to study for something that builds marketable skills in you and not just a generic humanities degree.
That said, Cameroon (like much of the rest of Africa), has huge untapped natural and human resources. This means that those who are smart enough to identify problems and offer solutions to those problems are likely to be the next generation of Africa’s wealthy elite.
The prospects of employment on the continent are looking very bright for those with a keen eye and given how young, dynamic, and vibrant Cameroonian youths are, most employers will be more than happy to hire them.
Below are some of the industries in Africa that are expected to keep growing in the next several decades – and the subjects you can study to better improve your chances in these sectors:
Agriculture: As Cameroon’s population continues to grow and indeed the rest of Africa continues to grow in terms of population, there will be an urgent need to have experts to address the food concerns that come with a growing population. Food will need to be grown on a large scale and there will also be a need to transport this to consumers in large cities all across Cameroon and the rest of Africa.
This means that those who have studied Agricultural Science, Agronomy, Geography, Biology, Geology, and related will be in high demand. Also, those with skills in transportation and logistics will be a secondary industry, helping to store freshly harvested produce so that it reaches the market in pristine condition.
Banking and Finance: As the standards of living of millions of Cameroonians continue to improve and the middle class grows across Africa, there will be a need for seasoned finance experts. New companies in various fields will need good financial services for their companies.
Those with degrees in banking and finance, accounting, economics, insurance, corporate law etc will be much sought after to fill jobs in these areas.
Media and Entertainment: As Cameroon grows, there will be a growing media industry too. Radio stations, TV stations, websites, blogs etc will also grow and there will be stiff competition in this field. Various companies will need skilled communicators to market their brands for them. And as Africans, don’t we just love some good entertainment?
This industry will require skilled photographers and videographers to work in recording studios and TV stations. There will also be a need for journalists, writers, and communications officers to be able to write press releases for organizations, write speeches for directors and CEOs of companies, and do public relations for them. Degrees in these fields would include communications studies, journalism, and media studies or mass communications, marketing, advertising, and public relations as well as people who have natural talent in music, DJ-ing, etc. Some African countries may have more opportunities in this sector than others. For example, the media is much freer and more vibrant in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa than it is in Cameroon for example. But this also means that those with the skills and vision can start a business in this domain with the benefit of monopoly or little competition.
Infrastructure: As a result of Africa’s booming economy and increase in the number of people living in urban areas, infrastructure will become vital to the continent’s growth. Banking systems, telecommunications, transportation, property, sewage, water, and electrical systems will have to be constructed or improved, all needing skilled professionals.
This means there will be a huge need for skilled cybersecurity experts for example as financial transactions become increasingly digitized, there will be a need for skilled train and bus drivers, civil engineers, plumbers etc.
People with degrees in all types of engineering will be sought after, as people with construction (masonry) experience, urban housing, and town planning experts etc.
Health: Africa remains one of the continents with an aching need for medical experts in ALL fields. Cameroon for example just has a few ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeons, a handful of cardiologists, and well-trained nurses are lacking in Cameroon. The ratio of doctors to patients in Cameroon is 1 to 250,000 and that means that those going to medical school will get a run for their money. Nurses, dieticians, physiotherapists, radiographers, dentists, etc will be in high demand over the years. Basically, ANYTHING medically-related will be sought after in the years ahead.
There is also the opportunity for research work in the medical field in Cameroon on issues such as sickle cell disease, HIV/AIDS, and congenital deformities. People with degrees in medicine, public health, health management systems, nursing etc will be highly employable in the future. ANYTHING health-related would be a wise investment in short.
Tourism: Cameroon has a huge tourism potential that has not been marketed to the outside world. For example, not many people know that the slave trading site at Bimbia in the SW of Cameroon was the largest port of exit for slaves from West Africa to the New World, according to Dr. Lisa Aubrey, a Black American history professor at the University of Yaounde I. Mount Cameroon is the highest peak in West and Central Africa and the lone active volcano in West Africa, Lake Nyos is 1 of just 3 such lakes in the world, the others being Lake Kivu in the DRC and Lake Monoun in the NW of Cameroon; Cameroon is the only country geographically located in West Africa and Central Africa, the only African country with English and French as official languages, hence earning her the title “Africa in Miniature” because a bit of everything about Africa, can be found here.
The tourism industry has the potential to create jobs in related fields such as tour guiding, photography, and videography, hotel management etc. People with degrees or experience in hotel management, catering and hospitality services, driving tour buses etc will be highly sought after in this field.
Robotics, Drones, and Prosthetics: As Africa grows, there will be a rising need for robots to take over some of the things traditionally done by human beings. Already this is being done in Rwanda which has been termed the Silicon Valley of Africa and back home, we are seeing a good number of youths creating things of this nature in Buea – the Silicon Valley of Cameroon.
Drones will be needed to do deliveries, and take photos and in the distant future, we could even have police drone cars for security. In the context of the Anglophone Crisis and the Boko Haram Insurgency, security services are already probably using drones to conduct surveillance. In some places, drones are being used to deliver much-needed medical supplies in remote, mountainous areas.
Also, when people have accidents and break their limbs, they will need prosthetic replacements.
People with degrees in mechanical engineering, applied mathematics, physics, etc will be needed in these fields.
