Authored by Nana Bempong Amankwah
What should you study in the age of Artificial Intelligence?
It is the question keeping students, parents, and educators awake at night. For students, it is even more worrying. You do everything “right” i.e., you choose a course, attend lectures, write exams, earn a degree yet the question remains: what next?
Across the globe, technology is redefining jobs. I dare say many of the jobs today’s graduates are preparing for may not even exist by 2027. Roles that existed a decade ago are disappearing, while new ones are emerging at a pace that makes long-term prediction difficult.
When Even Coding Is No Longer a Safe Bet
We used to think that “learning to code” was the ultimate safety net. Yet, The Economist recently highlighted that even coding is now being automated in parts and it is at risk of becoming obsolete as AI learns to write software faster than humans. In fact, a recent study showed that concern among IT professionals in the US and UK about AI making their skills obsolete jumped from 74% to 91% in just one year.
This is not just a Western conversation. Ghana’s young population is entering a labour market that is increasingly competitive, informal, and unpredictable. Yet our dominant approach to education still assumes that technical knowledge alone will carry graduates through. It won’t.
So, if computers can code, calculate, and create, where does that leave us?
The Return of the Human
Ironically, as machines get smarter, the most valuable skills are becoming the ones that make us uniquely human. This is to say that for the professional world, the currency of 2026 and beyond is soft skills.
We are talking about curiosity, communication, critical thinking, reliability, and empathy. The ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has long noted that jobs requiring complex social interaction, negotiation, persuasion, and empathy are far less susceptible to automation. AI is powerful, but it still struggles with human nuance.
The “Intentionality Gap” in Our Universities
Paradoxically, these are the very skills most young people struggle to develop intentionally.
In Ghana, universities do make attempts. Group assignments, presentations, and extracurricular activities are often cited as avenues for building soft skills. But these efforts are rarely deliberate or structured. Exposure to industry is uneven. A student might learn teamwork by chance, or they might not. Many students graduate without ever attending a professional forum, volunteering at a national conference, or speaking to someone working in their field. Academia and industry often operate in parallel, with little interaction.
Why Exposure Changes Everything
Yet experience shows that exposure changes everything.
When young people are placed in real environments i.e., industry events, policy forums, community projects, internships,something shifts. They learn how conversations happen outside the classroom. They observe how professionals think, speak, and solve problems. Confidence grows, not because someone taught it theoretically, but because it was practiced.
Research supports this. Graduates who completed internships were found to be 23% more likely to secure full-time employment within six months of graduating. In sectors like oil, gas, and mining, that gap rose to 65%. Exposure is not a “nice to have”. It is a differentiator.
Bridging the Gap Between Theory and the Real World
This understanding is what led to the creation of Connect Skills Hub, a youth-led initiative built around a simple idea: skills are best developed through intentional exposure. Rather than focusing on certificates alone, the platform connects young people to real-world opportunities like industry events, volunteering roles, internships, mentorship, and structured soft skills learning.
The goal is not to replace formal education, but to complement it. To bridge the space between theory and practice. To help young people understand what is happening in the real world, while they still have time to prepare for it.
Since its formation, Connect Skills Hub has grown quietly but steadily. It has brought together a community of young people across different disciplines. Members have volunteered at high-level forums, secured internships, expanded their professional networks, and in some cases, landed full-time roles, simply because they showed up, participated, and learned how to position themselves.
Why Mindset May Matter More Than Credentials
What stands out is not just access, but mindset. When young people realise that many opportunities are open, not exclusive, their approach changes. They stop waiting for perfection and start engaging. They ask questions. They build relationships. They learn faster.
As AI continues to evolve, this mindset will matter more than ever. No one can predict exactly which jobs will exist in ten years. But we can be certain that those who are adaptable, curious, communicative, and grounded in real-world experience will be better positioned to transition across industries and roles.
Preparing for a Future We Cannot Fully Predict
Ultimately, the question may not be “What should I study?” but “How am I preparing myself to learn continuously, relate to others, and navigate change?”
Degrees still matter. Technical skills still matter. But on their own, they are no longer enough.
The future belongs to those who show up, learn broadly, and build skills that machines cannot easily replace. And if we are serious about preparing Ghana’s young people for that future, exposure and soft skills can no longer be accidental. They must be intentional.