As HR Practitioners, we tested the recruitment waters early in our business and we quickly “definitely”
decided it was not a business we wanted to explore. However, as our business continues to grow, we have come to recognise that recruitment is a specialty we have to provide to our customers, should we deliver the value we are about.
In essence, we pore through thousands of CVs, résumés, profiles and the likes and although, the CV format has largely stayed the same, there seems to be a new trend describing the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as an education. My emotions have run the gamut from irritation to confusion and then incredulity, as an anomaly is becoming the norm. Perhaps, it was me that was unaware, so I decided to research the matter.
Education:
The dictionary describes education as ‘’the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university’’.
This description is apt for the purpose of this discourse as education on a CV or résumé refers to schooling.
NYSC:
National Youth Service Corps was founded after the Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970) in a bid to foster development amongst the country’s youth. In the about us page, of the NYSC (
http://www.nysc.gov.ng/about/about.php), Article 7 humbly retains the task of education with our universities and other higher learning institutions and describes the primary purpose of the scheme in Article 9 as fostering unity amongst ALL Nigerian youth and encouraging selfless service to the community.
The NYSC is therefore a full service year dedicated to community service in a four step process:
- Orientation: 3 weeks in a para military environment where one is exposed to courses about your new environment as well as physical training drills.
- Primary Assignment: a Corp Member is assigned responsibility for the year, usually dependent on how you can apply your course of study.
- Community Development Service: innovative individuals are free to express their creativity in any community development project of their choosing.
- Passing out, which signifies the end of the year with a closing ceremony and award of certificates and prizes.
By inference, deduction, presumption, extrapolation, conjecture (you get the gist), the closest the NYSC appears to me is an internship of sorts where you showcase the skills you have learnt from education and should therefore described on your CV or résumé as work experience.
***Curriculum Vitae (CV): a short account of one’s career and qualifications prepared typically by an applicant for a position…… Merriam Webster’s dictionary.
Photo: http://www.nysc.gov.ng/
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This article was first published on 7th July 2017 and updated on July 9th, 2017 at 6:34 pm
ekundayo-odele
Ekundayo Odele (Managing Director, CEO UnoCasa Limited).
I'm an engineer turned HR Professional with a love for people and businesses. What I do best is inspire people to be the best they can.
Me in three descriptions: change agent, people lover, happy bunny.
Fun factor: I will try anything once, really.
To see Ekundayo's latest Projects, check out Future Business Leaders Programme on Twitter and Instagram as @fblpng and on LinkedIn and Facebook as Future Business Leaders Programme.
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