By: Pamela D. Nyakabau
At first, I chuckled – as I do with most questions that make me uncomfortable.
Because my instinctive answer was: “Old enough to pay bills, thank you very much.”
But the question wasn’t really about certificates or diplomas. It was about relevance. About whether I’m keeping pace in a world where what was cutting-edge yesterday feels outdated tomorrow.
Think about it, technology, markets, even the way we communicate, everything is evolving at breakneck speed. The phone you bragged about two years ago now feels like a relic (RIP to everyone still holding on to their iPhone 8). The same applies to skills.
A qualification that once made you stand out may now only get you to the starting line.
But here’s the thing, qualifications alone don’t define growth. Some people collect certificates like supermarket loyalty cards. Others have fewer papers, but carry a mindset that’s forever learning, forever curious, forever adapting. And in today’s world, curiosity might be the most valuable qualification of them all.
The uncomfortable truth? If your last “upgrade” was years ago, whether formal or informal, you may be running the risk of becoming a professional antique, and the market doesn’t pay antique prices unless you’re art.
If your last learning milestone is gathering dust, you risk being the professional equivalent of a Nokia 3310: solid, reliable, but everyone’s moved on.
So, the real challenge is: how do we keep learning without waiting for a framed certificate to validate it? Reading, experimenting, listening, failing forward, that’s education too. In fact, it may be the only way to stay relevant in a world that refuses to stand still.
Here’s a thought: maybe the better question isn’t “How old is your latest qualification?” but “When was the last time you stretched yourself beyond what you already know?”
Because in a dog-eat-dog economy, standing still is actually moving backwards. Growth is no longer about adding letters after your name; it’s about refusing to be left behind.
So, pause for a second. How old is your latest qualification? And more importantly, how fresh is your hunger to keep learning.
