Career opportunities for me if I relocate to Nigeria?

Dear Jarus,

I have been an active user on Nairaland for a while now and I can’t but notice and respect your opinions and postings,especially on career and mentorship.

I have therefore decided to seek your counsel as regards my career. I will start by giving you a preview about myself :

Age: Mid 40’s

Marital Status: Married

Location: UK

Qualifications:

Bsc (Microbiology)

Certificate course in pathogenic fungi.

+Various CPD courses in microbiology

Diploma in Project Management.

MBA ( expected 2015)

Experiences:

1994-95 (NYSC) Laboratory Scientist

1996- 2001 Operations Team with a defunct Nigerian airline (name withheld)

2001-2002 Operations’ Mgr., ABC Ltd (Nigeria)

2002-2006 Operations Team, XXX (FCMG company – name withheld) UK

2006-Present Laboratory Assistant / Technician, XYZ Trust, UK

Having worked in Nigeria for a while, I relocated to UK in 2002 and worked as operations team member in an FCMG company, but due to the economic slow down, the company closed up in 2006. I thereafter got a job as a laboratory technician/assistant with the XYZ in the UK. While there, I worked in various departments and projects including setting up a new satellite laboratory facility. I was also opportuned to attend various courses and conferences and at the same time looking for opportunities within the FCMG. About 2 years ago, I realised that I needed to make a career change, reasons being most importantly, stagnation (i.e. doing the same thing year in and year out, no promotion), my age and I also begin to consider the effect of my prolonged stay here (6yrs+) on my CV.

I therefore decide to enroll for MBA, but I can’t really figure out, where exactly I could fit in career wise upon my graduation( though I have a preference for operations) but its clear to me that I don’t want to continue in my present role again. I’ve thought about health management / administration, but they’re very limited opportunity here for such position in the UK. What options would you advice me to consider? Considering my age now, what would you advise me to do? I’m also considering relocating back to Nigeria, which sector in Nigeria do you think my experiences may be valuable apart from the health sector?

I will appreciate your advice and guidance.

Thanks.

Wale (other names withheld)

*****************************

Dear Wale

I’m humbled by being considered as worthy of counseling you despite being younger and having less experience. My brother, at 40 plus, I don’t think you should be talking of employment again. You should be looking at retirement and setting up your own oufit. I have not said you should retire now. No, you may not even consider it in the next ten years. But frankly, you should start planning for it. You made a very good decision enrolling for MBA, and I trust UK schools, by an MBA candidate in one them myself, you are definitely going to learn a lot. So I will advise you take that MBA very seriously and probably have a special note where practical ideas that come intom your head while studying are noted.

At 40 plus, maybe you can get a managerial role somewhere, but you’ve been there before (as I can glean from your CV), and I’m not inclined to advising you to throw your CV around again. If you get one, no problem, but I will advise you start thinking of setting up your own outfit. It could be consultancy. You’ve been in operations almost all your career, from Nigeria to UK, and I expect you to have seen it all. I also expect you to have built a strong network that can do business with you if you decide to start your own outfit. You can also look in the direction of travel agency, as I can see you worked in an airline company for five years. You also have a degree in microbiology, some other certificates in related fields and you’ve worked as laboratory scientist for many years. I expect you to be able to run your own laboratory now. This should sell in Nigeria, as we still have many poorly equipped and badly run labs around. Health management is also an underexplored niche in Nigeria.These are few of the businesses I think you should be able to do, by going through your CV. In any case, that MBA you are doing should broaden your horizons more.

As for coming to Nigeria, I wish I can give a categorical advice. Just scan the environments, draw up the pros and cons and decide on whicever you think will be better for you.

All the best.

Jarus

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