Universities must produce careers, not just graduates

DAR ES SALAAM: WE must painfully admit a hard truth that some of our institutions are often preparing students for a world that no longer exists.

Today’s employers- that is to say both local and international are hunting for skills, not just certificates. They want digital fluency, problem-solving minds, adaptability and technical competence. Yet, too many of our classrooms are still echoing with lectures on 1970s development theories, discussed with all the urgency of breaking news.

Universities and colleges must pivot. Instead of being wordy fortresses of outdated knowledge, they need to become nimble hubs of real-world training. We don’t need more papers on “The Philosophy of Work.” We need young people who can write clean code, run data analysis, repair solar panels, manage logistics, design apps, operate advanced machinery and yes, maybe even fix our WiFi without asking for the Information and Technology personnels.

Here is a wake-up call: The Fourth Industrial Revolution is not knocking; it is already inside the house, looking around impatiently. Artificial Intelligence, automation, fintech, biotech, these are not future trends; they are current job descriptions. If Tanzanian youth are not being trained for these sectors, we are essentially grooming them for disappointment.

To be fair, this is not just a universities’ problem. The government and stakeholders must step up. We need nationwide research and global market surveys of what skills are booming in Africa? In Asia? In Europe? What careers are employers crying out for? Where is demand growing is it in cybersecurity, green energy, data science, healthcare, or advanced manufacturing? Without this data, we are planning in the dark.

From there, let us shape a national workforce strategy, like call it DIRA ya Ajira, if you will. A real vision that aligns curriculum with career opportunities and that is both within our borders and beyond. A strategy that says: If the world is moving towards green energy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and robotics, so are we.

We must also accept that not every career path needs a university degree. Vocational training should be uplifted, respected and expanded. Not everyone wants to write essays…some want to build, create, repair and innovate with their hands. Let us not let academic snobbery rob them of opportunity.

Lastly, employers should be brought into the design room of education. Let them help shape the curricula. Let them advise on internships. Let them tell us what they actually want before we send them a CV three years too late.

Tanzania has a youthful population and untapped talent. But talent without direction is like a high-speed car without a steering wheel. We have got the engine. Now we need the map.