Youth try in numerous ways to search and find jobs in vain within South Sudan. Employers are insisting on either to present a degree certificate or to come with the written recommendations letter assuring applicants' personal relations, alliance with any leading figure in the government, NGOs, private companies, hospitality, industries or any elite who is a holder of public office. Many youth do not have degree certificates and others without the attached requirements. Commonly many youth have both ordinary and advanced certificates of secondary education plus their valuable basic skills. Some have the distinguished knowledge of computer information [IT] auto-mechanic, missionary, carpentry, welding, electricity and wiring and the list of various skills among the youths is long. Does it mean that they cannot be employed without degree qualifications or without letters from any close elites who hold public office?

The tone of my concern suggests that the situation I and my fellow under graduates the youths or young people at the moment could have occurred out of external circumstances that may block many incoming and outgoing youths to remain without advanced education for obtaining degree certificates in education. Either they take to composing songs from delaying tactic from the elites' sons and daughters who acquired quality education abroad whereas the employers are waiting for them. "Motto of No degree No Job" is in observation. The schools in the western countries abroad cannot be reached by the poor youths who hail from unknown family backgrounds and they can only climb and achieve success by climbing narrow ladders. Scholarships to UK, USA, Canada, China, India and many other countries are difficult to get without knowing the password called "Whom You Know But not what certificate you have".

The disadvantaged youths are those who explore the streets of Juba marking and counting down all the jobs advertising boards within the town on broad daylight. The government public service, UN agencies, NGOS, private Companies have adopted bad policies of No degrees, no recommendation letter from influential man, fifteen years experience, No identical names to the human resource manager definitely your application form for job vacant is useless. Without meeting the above cited requirements there is "No Job". It seems like youth are being treated harshly.

Obviously, you and I are not the only one without degree certificates. Many young people are in a similar position. The difference is in the attitude with which each perceives his or her situation. It is what determines whether or not one will rise above the challenge. Youth should not allow themselves to be enslaved by fixed mentality and mind-set about personal development albeit, that seems to be part of young people's worries. The common perception is that once you attain a milestone paper requirement the degree, then the next thing must be a job. What of the new adopted employment act which was branded by the Africa's famous writer in the late 1960s during the tyrant rules in West Africa Chinua Achebe."Its Whom You Know but Not What You Know plus common saying of come tomorrow" you and I need a job and we know what is stopping us from getting it. What have we done about it? It's our mentality that will make a difference. In our current perceptions under the motto and ululation of equality; a job is a type of work that is reserved for the university graduates. The answer is absolutely No". It's the white collar [Job] work which has been reserved for those who graduated abroad plus those known in public offices, UN agencies, NGOs and privates companies. We should prepare and focus on the opportunities that people without jobs will qualify for those dirty jobs where sons and daughters of elite don't have interest in.

In conclusion it's the youths humility and unassuming nature and commitment that will let us elevate through the approaching of long rough road ahead in the place that you may find better employment later in due time. With such promotion and determination youth in the country may find themselves in equal and better footstep with those sons and daughters of elites who received their education abroad or those whom white collar jobs are waiting for them. For that reason we should avoid spending too much time playing cards, dominoes, overcrowding in tea places, and indeed the strong tool for achieving those goals plus the turning of new page for the youths in South Sudan, is for us all the people of this country to desist from tribalism, nepotism and favours. The result of that will be South Sudan will can accommodate everybody on equal footing and equality for all.

The author is a concerned citizen who can be reached for comment at demayen@gmail.com