6 Things You Can Do After Completing Senior High School in Ghana.

Completing senior high school (SHS) for most of us is a relief. As it implies freedom from school work, exams, and teachers. Although we may miss our friends and the freedom we had from our parents whiles on campus, it is still a great feeling to finally not worry about marks.

Graduating high school affords us the opportunity to develop ourselves outside of the classroom at least until we enrol into a tertiary institution. For most Ghanaian high school graduates the one year period between graduation and entering a tertiary institution is the perfect time for which they can actively save towards their tertiary education.

If you’re wondering about what to do after graduating senior high school, then here are 6 possible things you can do after high school in Ghana or Africa while you wait to enter the university ( tertiary institution).

1. Teach in a Private School: One of the things to do after graduating senior high school is to become a pupil teacher in a private school. Where you can teach at the primary level or junior high school level depending on your competence. Teaching in a private school gives you the chance to earn some money which you can save towards your tertiary education. Also you get the privilege to mentor, impact and make a difference in the lives of students who will be eternally grateful for the fact that they encountered you at that stage of their lives. Personally I had friends who were once pupil teachers after their SHS and they say it was a nice experience.

2. Volunteer: Another useful thing to do after high school is to volunteer. Whiles your other friends may prefer to sleep, play games and waste their time you can actually develop yourself just through the simple act of helping others. Volunteering affords you the opportunity to impact others and make a difference whiles developing yourself at the same time. Through volunteering you get to meet new people and build relationships that may come in handy later on in life, learn new skills, and harness your passion among other benefits. You can volunteer in your community as a teacher, care taker among other roles or even volunteer outside your community depending on where you get the opportunity.

3. Start a Business or a Cause: Perhaps you may be wondering how in the world I’m I going to start a business or a cause at such a young age. Or how I’m I even going to get the starting capital. Well, I have good news for you, being a teen does not make it impossible for you to start a business. Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Michael Dell of Dell Computers and many others started their business whiles they were teens. Greta Thunberg a 17 year old girl has become a global sensation for championing a climate change cause. Malala Yousafzai started as a teen civil right activist especially championing the rights of women and has received the Nobel Peace in 2014 when she was 17 years. These names are just some few examples to let you know that you can do great things as a teen too and no age is too young to start. It could even be just having something as simple as pure water retail business.

4. Intern in a Company: Another good use to make of your gap year is to become an intern either in a family business or any other company. Whiles people may consider it as a waste of their precious time because its unpaid and secondly there’s no need to worry themselves with internship at such a young age. You can actually take advantage of this opportunity to build up soft skills like negotiation and bargaining skills, organisational and communication skills. Personally after graduating senior high school, I assisted my sister in her cosmetic shop and for me it was a great experience. I met new people everyday, made some friends, polished my negotiation and bargaining skills, and it also fuelled my passion for entrepreneurship.

5. Take a Computer Course: Another possibility after senior high school is to enrol in a computer training school where you can perfect your computer skills like typing, and perhaps learn some programming. Information Technology is the present and the future so having some computer skills can go a long way to help your career in the future and also increase your career alternatives.

6. Learn a Foreign Language: With the world being a global village, people with bilingual skills now have an edge over their monolingual counterparts especially in the corporate space. The gap year between graduating a senior high school and entering a tertiary institution is just the perfect time to learn a second language. I would recommend that you consider learning French or Spanish or any other foreign language of your choice.

Here are some other things you could do after senior highschool in Ghana.

• Apprenticeships: Some high school graduates opt for apprenticeships, where they work alongside skilled professionals to gain hands-on experience in trades like hairdressing, masonry, or tailoring. This route provides valuable skills for future employment.

• Other Skill Development: You can take advantage of various skill development programs and workshops to enhance your skills and competencies in areas like computer programming, digital marketing, graphic design, or foreign languages. These skills can be useful in today’s job market.

• Personal Development: Take time to explore your interests and passions. Whether it’s traveling, writing, arts, sports, or any other hobby, investing time in personal development and self-discovery is valuable.
• Job Search: After high school, you can start your job search in fields where high school qualifications are accepted. Entry-level positions in sectors like retail (selling in someones shop), customer service, sales, and administration may be available.

Hope you found this article helpful? Kindly leave your thoughts and comments below. Thank you!