For years the education system has been accused of producing graduates who do not meet the job market demands despite long lecture hours and gruesome exams that dampens student’s self-esteem. The same curriculum taught in school is out of touch with reality since most courses are outdated or some of its elements have been phased out by technology and automation.
Skills at risk
A new study by BrighterMonday found that 65 per cent of hard skills including data entry, data analysis, record keeping, research, bookkeeping, payroll processing among others can be automated, replaced or augmented by artificial intelligence (AI). It also found that 20 per cent of soft skills including time management, feedback management and multitasking can be impacted by AI and automation or augmenting technologies.
Skills on high demand
The study found that tech skills like cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI integration skills, Generative AI and AI developments are in high demand due to the growth of Africa’s digital economy and adoption of technology in many sectors.
These findings paint a grim picture of the education system which is not adapting to technological advancements. Sarah Ndegwa, the Acting Managing Director, BrighterMonday Kenya says that with the population of young people rising there is need to equip them with up-to-date skills to prepare them for jobs locally and abroad.
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According to her there is a clear gap between what learning institutions are teaching and what the job market is demanding. She says the steps needed to bridge that gap is understanding what the private sector needs and preparing the talents to meet those requirements, including AI skills which are now in high demand.
“One of the key things to do in our own market is to catalyse the jobs but also how to prepare them to look for jobs globally. All organizations are going through digital transformation. They are taking tech into their daily operations and processes. It’s no longer just the traditional skills, you have to provide more than the mundane and repetitive roles to add value to the organization,” Ndegwa says.
“One of the key things for institutions that are training these talents is to think a lot more on how to use AI more as an augmented aspect to the capacity of these roles within the organization and not necessarily competing because you cannot compete with AI,” she adds.
Curriculum Change
Doris Muigei, the CEO of Qazi Works, a recruitment agency, says the education system should strive to adapt to changes in the job market because technology is advancing at a fast pace to the extent that the education system might not catch up.
“Unless the education is able to build curriculum as fast as the required skills, then they should only do what they are doing now, like building character. In the last two years so much has changed. Employers have so many open jobs and there’s no link {between education and those jobs}. The pace is so fast that it’s almost impossible for the education system to adjust quickly,” she says.
Need for future-proof skills
Victor Komu, HR Director Gardaworld Security Africa says the education system should teach future-proof skills because the current job seekers have degrees yet lack skills needed adding that job seekers need to upskill since recruiters are looking for unique tech skills.
“The pace at which technology is taking over the roles that we know is so fast that the education system is not preparing future ready employees. That is why the gap between recruitment and performance is widening. We need to look at the education system and recruitment as one homogeneous ecosystem. It’s not just about the curriculum and studies but what are you preparing this curriculum to address in the future,” Komu observes.
While many graduates find it hard to get jobs, Alvin Mukabwa, COO Generation Kenya says the private sector is struggling to get skilled labour force, adding that the mismatch is as a result of systemic problems. According to him, the private sector and learning institutions should come together
“What we are dealing with is a systemic problem and it cannot be addressed overnight. What we need is a dual TVET training system based on the idea that the private sector has the resources to partner with training institutions to provide that platform,” Mukabwa says.
