Ghanaian-UK entrepreneur and founder of Konnected Minds, Derrick Abaitey, has called for a stronger focus on practical skills training in Ghana’s education system, arguing that students need more hands-on experience to prepare them for the realities of the job market.

Speaking on The Career Trail Season 4 on Joy Learning TV and JoyNews, the podcaster questioned why many graduates continue to struggle to find employment despite spending several years in school.

According to him, the solution does not only lie in expanding access to university education but also in creating structured systems that equip young people with practical skills.

“Why do we have so many people coming out of university yet the job market is so small?” he asked.

The entrepreneur proposed a system where students are exposed to different career pathways, including vocational and technical training, alongside traditional academic education.

“Keep them through the system. However, there are some people who need to be trained to do vocational work. Teach people carpentry, plumbing, and tiling properly in a structured system. Teach them the fieldwork because you are training people who, when they come out of university, do not even have practical experience,” he explained.

He believes vocational careers must be treated with the same seriousness as academic professions, with proper training standards that improve the quality of work and customer satisfaction.

“They can come out with better customer service, better quality of work, and they have jobs to do,” he said.

For Derrick Abaitey, education must move beyond memorisation and place greater emphasis on equipping students with skills they can apply in real-life situations.

“We are teaching theory when people are supposed to be learning practicals,” he stressed.

He added that as technology and artificial intelligence continue to transform industries, practical skills and hands-on expertise will become increasingly valuable.

According to Abaitey, the goal should not only be to produce graduates but also to develop individuals who are equipped to solve problems, create businesses and contribute meaningfully to society.