He argued that the traditional four-year university education model should be reviewed to allow students to acquire practical industry experience before completing their studies.
Speaking as a panellist on the topic People, Skills and Services at the Ghana CEO High-Level Dialogue in Accra, ahead of the Ghana CEO Awards, McDan said Ghana and other African countries needed to change their approach to education and workforce development to take advantage of the continent’s economic opportunities.
He proposed that universities consider a system in which students spend three years in academic studies, undertake a year of practical industry experience and subsequently return to complete their programmes.
Why should we keep our children in university continuously for four years? Maybe four years is too long,” he questioned.
He said closer collaboration between universities and industry would help students understand the practical demands of the workplace and develop the skills required to compete in the global economy.
According to him, Ghana has considerable opportunities in sectors such as logistics, transport, maritime services and salt production, but needs deliberate efforts to develop local capacity and enable Ghanaian businesses to compete effectively.
McDan identified logistics as an area where Ghana could strengthen its competitive position, citing the country’s strategic geographical location and potential to become a major logistics hub in the sub-region.
He, however, expressed concern that foreign operators continued to dominate important segments of the logistics and maritime business, arguing that more Ghanaian entrepreneurs needed to invest in vessels, cargo planes and other infrastructure to retain greater value within the domestic economy.
The money is in the hands of foreigners, but we have to make a deliberate effort to be able to compete with them,” he said.
He maintained that developing local participation in these industries would require stronger private-sector investment, entrepreneurial ambition and supportive government policies.
Education must focus on problem-solving
McDan also challenged universities to move beyond the traditional emphasis on academic qualifications and equip students with the ability to identify and solve problems.
He said Africa had the human resources and technological capabilities to compete globally but needed a fundamental change in mindset to translate its potential into economic progress.
We have the youth. We have technology. Technology has brought us closer to the advanced world than ever before,” he said.
He added that Africa’s development agenda should begin with a change in how its people think about opportunities, innovation and enterprise.
He further argued that universities should expose students to industries and career opportunities beyond the conventional professions of medicine, law and engineering.
Industry calls for closer engagement with schools
The discussion also highlighted the need for businesses to become more involved in shaping educational programmes and helping young people understand emerging career opportunities.
Another contributor to the discussion observed that children were often encouraged to pursue traditional professional careers without adequate exposure to opportunities in sectors such as hospitality, logistics and other emerging industries.
The contributor called on businesses to engage more actively with schools and universities to help students appreciate the range of careers available to them.
The discussion emphasised that education should prepare young people not only to seek employment but also to become entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs for others.
McDan cited his own entrepreneurial and mentorship initiatives, saying he was interested in developing business owners who could employ others rather than simply training people to seek jobs.
He said his organisation had established initiatives to support young people, including training programmes for entrepreneurs and mentorship to help them grow their businesses.
He disclosed that more than 20 entrepreneurs were trained in the previous year, with some building businesses that had achieved significant international market reach.
He said the ultimate objective was to develop entrepreneurs who could create opportunities and transform lives within their communities.
The Ghana CEO High-Level Dialogue brought together business leaders, academics and other stakeholders to discuss issues affecting Ghana’s business environment, human capital development and the future of work ahead of the Ghana CEO Awards.
