The Controller & Accountant General of the Republic of Ghana, Mr Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem has encouraged students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) to acquire new skills and keep themselves abreast with modern trends in order to survive in the competitive world of work.
Mr Kwaning-Bosompem said: “As professional graduates going into the uncertain world of work where there is keen competition between human force and artificial intelligence, I will urge you to equip yourselves with new skills.”
“Use every little opportunity to learn something new,” he told final year students of the Faculty of Accounting and Finance at the 2021 Professional Master Class on Wednesday, June 30.
Speaking on the topic, “Excelling as a Professional Graduate in an uncertain World of Work,” Mr Kwaning-Bosompem, who is an alumnus of UPSA, opined that although the world of work is tilting towards artificial intelligence and machines, the human workforce is still needed to interpret and implement the data or analysis that are churned out by the machines.
He added that employers are therefore looking for smart graduates who are up to speed with new trends in the profession and it is incumbent on the graduate to make him or herself relevant by preparing themselves to grab such opportunities.
He explained that being relevant is tantamount to being the best at what one does. He further expounded that to be the best, one must have the right combination of education, skills and experience.
“Acquiring the relevant experience is very vital even if you have education,” the Accountant General said. “So if you have to even go out there and work free of charge just to have [an experience] do it. It enriches your résumé.”
Again, Mr Kwaning-Bosompem called on the students to display high levels of professionalism wherever they find themselves after school and eschew sluggishness.
He asserted that there is high tendency of young graduates getting distracted at work through frequent engagements with their phones, pointing out that such behaviours should be avoided. He stressed that employers detest unproductive workers.
“Never, make yourself idle [at work] as that can cost you your work,” he warned.
Mr Kwaning-Bosompem revealed that he was confident graduates of the UPSA will one day make him proud as they step into the world of work to make use of the knowledge and skills they have acquired from the institution.
