Boss, employ me, I don’t have a certificate – McBrown reflects on her rise without formal education

Ghanaian star Nana Ama McBrown is a respected figure on screen. However, her journey has been unconventional. She openly shares her experiences.

On TV3’s New Day with Berla Mundi, McBrown discussed her early struggles. She had to plead for work without any academic qualifications. “I said, ‘Boss, employ me. I don’t have a certificate,’” she recalled.

Berla responded, “You have an SS certificate, a WASI certificate.” McBrown corrected her: “I didn’t have an SS certificate. I had a JHS.”

She explained that she started secondary school but dropped out due to unpaid fees. “I stopped going because I was owing from first term,” she said.

The pressure from home and society was intense. “When I went home, everyone asked, ‘Why are you not in school?’” To cope, she enrolled in the College of Business Studies.

Interestingly, she admitted she didn’t enroll for academics. “I knew I wouldn’t need that certificate,” McBrown confessed.

She felt embarrassed by others’ questions about her education. Despite this, McBrown turned her lack of qualifications into a successful career.

Her story shows that paper isn’t the only path to purpose.