The Head of the Finance and Banking Department at Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Professor Kofi Oware Mintah, has urged parents to pay closer attention to the programmes their wards choose at university, saying most programmes do not have corresponding job opportunities in the employment market.
He made the call during a training session for fresh Senior High School (SHS) graduates on how to choose the right programmes to study at university.
The training session, called the Wiseman Business Series and organised by Wontumi TV journalist Akwasi Wiseman, aims to help young students choose career paths and identify the skills needed to help them grow.
During the session, Professor Oware said anyone choosing a university programme should conduct thorough research before committing to it.
“Before you choose a programme, do not think about passion or your desires alone. You may have your desires, but your intended programme may not land you a job. So think about whether the programme will get you a job, or whether there is demand for it in the job market, before anything else,” he said.
The professor urged parents at the event not to dismiss his advice, noting that the country’s unemployment crisis is not due to a lack of jobs, but to a mismatch between the skills graduates have and what employers are seeking.
“It is not that there are no jobs, but there is a mismatch between available jobs and available skills,” he said.
He advised parents against allowing their wards to accept an alternative programme offered by a university when it differs from the one they originally applied for. “If your results are not enough for your intended course or programme, wait another year and write again,” he said.
The session also included lessons on the importance of students investing in technology, with resource persons urging them to take advantage of the booming tech sector.
They discussed the growth of social media and artificial intelligence as key areas that could help students access employment opportunities even before graduating from university.