Ghanaian-UK entrepreneur and founder of Konnected Minds, Derrick Abaitey, has called for a greater emphasis on practical skills training in Ghana's education system, arguing that graduates need hands-on experience to meet the demands of today's job market.

Speaking on The Career Trail Season 4 on Joy Learning TV and JoyNews, Mr Abaitey questioned why many university graduates continue to struggle to secure employment despite spending years in formal education.

According to him, the solution lies not only in expanding access to higher education but also in creating structured pathways that equip young people with practical and vocational skills.

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

Mr Abaitey advocated exposing students to diverse career paths, including vocational and technical education, alongside traditional academic programmes.

"Keep them through the system. However, there are some people who need to be trained to do vocational stuff. Teach people carpentry, plumbing and tiling properly in a structured system. Teach them the field work because you are training people who, when they come out of university, they don't even have practicals," he said.

He argued that vocational careers should be given the same recognition and investment as academic professions, with structured training that enhances both technical competence and customer service.

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

Mr Abaitey stressed that Ghana's education system must move beyond theory and rote learning to equip students with practical skills they can apply in the workplace and everyday life.

"We are teaching theory when people are supposed to be learning practicals," he emphasised.

He further noted that as technology and artificial intelligence continue to reshape industries, practical expertise and problem-solving abilities will become increasingly valuable.

According to him, the ultimate goal of education should not simply be to produce graduates but to develop individuals capable of solving problems, creating businesses and making meaningful contributions to society.