Entrepreneurship and Internships Are the New Job Security, Tech CEO Tells Ghana’s Youth
The traditional career path — earn a degree, land a stable job, retire comfortably — is rapidly becoming obsolete, and young Ghanaians must adapt or risk being left behind by the forces of automation and artificial intelligence, a leading technology executive has warned.
Dr Abraham Gaitu, Chief Executive Officer of KEM Groupe, delivered the message at a two-day Youth Leadership Empowerment and Career Development Summit in Ho, the Volta Regional capital, urging young people to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation, and problem-solving as the most reliable routes to financial security.
“The future is not something you wait for; it is something you build,” Dr Gaitu told participants. “The best job security today is the ability to create value, solve problems, and adapt to change.”
The summit, organised by IRMAD Development and Social Network (IDSNet) in collaboration with the CAYEP Leadership Institute (CAYELI) of Liberia, was held under the theme “Igniting Vision, Driving Change: The Role of the Youth.” It brought together students, young professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the region.
Dr Gaitu, who also heads SALARIA EYE Med, argued that advances in artificial intelligence and digital technology have fundamentally altered the employment landscape. Routine tasks that once required human labour are increasingly being automated, making the case for entrepreneurial thinking more urgent than ever.
Crucially, he pointed out that technology has also dramatically lowered the barriers to starting a business. Digital platforms now provide access to marketing tools, business support services, and funding opportunities that were once available only to well-capitalised firms. An aspiring entrepreneur with a smartphone and an internet connection can, in principle, reach customers across the continent.
Dr Gaitu was careful to note that entrepreneurship does not necessarily mean quitting a day job overnight. Side businesses, he said, can provide additional income, professional growth, and a pathway to long-term financial independence. He advised aspiring founders to identify practical problems, validate their ideas, develop simple solutions, and test them in the market before scaling up.
The emphasis on practical skills extended beyond entrepreneurship. Mr Israel Oriaku, Co-Founder of Nichub Capacity Development Centre, used his address to champion internships as a critical bridge between academic learning and professional success.
“One of the greatest mistakes young people make is wanting to own businesses before learning the trade,” Mr Oriaku said. “Learning remains the smartest path to growth.”
He described internships as opportunities for students and young graduates to gain practical experience, acquire industry knowledge, and build the professional networks that often prove decisive in career advancement. Too many young people, he observed, rush into business ventures without first acquiring sufficient knowledge and exposure in their chosen fields.
Both speakers converged on a set of skills they consider essential for the modern economy: adaptability, resilience, financial literacy, salesmanship, and effective communication. These are not typically taught in university lecture halls, yet they increasingly determine who thrives and who struggles in an economy being reshaped by technology.
The summit’s organisers framed the event as more than a conference. Reverend Richard Buamah, CEO of IDSNet, described it as “a call to purpose, a call to leadership, and a call to action.”
“The future we seek depends largely on the vision we nurture and the leadership we build today,” he said. “Let this be a defining moment in your journey — a moment where vision is ignited and change truly begins.”
The conversation happening in Ho reflects a continental reality. Across Africa, youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, and formal sector jobs are not being created fast enough to absorb the millions of young people entering the workforce each year. Initiatives that channel that demographic energy into entrepreneurship and skills development may prove critical to the continent’s economic trajectory in the decades ahead.
Image Source: GHANAMMA
