HR Expert Calls for Urgent Academia–Industry Collaboration

By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh

Human Resource professional Kwesi E. Hegan has called for urgent need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry.

He highlighted that educational institutions cannot operate in isolation from the business community, especially since students are ultimately being trained for the job market.

“Academia and business will have to come together. The students you are preparing, who are you preparing them for? You are preparing them for the business world,” he said.

Speaking on Business Breakfast on Zed FM, Mr. Hegan disclosed that many organizations are creating structured avenues for volunteerism, with some even linking volunteer hours to employee rewards under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.

He also said while many people are eager to volunteer and support meaningful causes, they are often unaware that several companies already have established but less-publicized channels for such engagement.

“I know for many organizations, they actually have avenues, but they are not open, and people want to volunteer and help,” he said.

According to him, some companies are going a step further by integrating volunteer hours into their internal performance and reward systems.

He revealed that an organization he is currently supporting plans to factor volunteer hours into employees’ end-of-year benefits, based on participation in company-led CSR initiatives.

“Volunteer hours are going to be part of employees’ end-of-year payback, based on the company CSR programme,” he explained.

Mr. Hegan further noted that corporate Ghana has increasingly embraced volunteerism as part of its broader responsibility to society. However, he emphasized that individuals must be proactive in applying and getting involved in these corporate initiatives.

“It is up to them to apply and get on board with these companies supporting their corporate social responsibilities, which is a perfect avenue to support projects and other volunteer activities,” he stated.

He warned that a disconnect currently exists between what students are taught and what employers expect, particularly in areas such as hospitality, soft skills, and practical workplace competencies.

“The hard-core skills that people need to thrive after university, they are not getting them through academic institutions,” he noted.

Mr. Hegan reiterated that building a stronger bridge between universities and businesses would better align training with industry needs, enhance employability, and ensure graduates are adequately prepared to meet the demands of the modern workplace.

Human Resource professional also underscored the growing importance of volunteerism in shaping employability, stressing that beyond experience, it signals the right attitude many employers are seeking.

Mr. Hegan shared practical examples of how volunteering has opened doors to full-time employment for proactive individuals.

“I have this girl who wants to volunteer and work for free in our organization. The individual went on to volunteer for nearly a year, demonstrating competence and commitment in the role. Because he was able to demonstrate the effectiveness of what he had done on the job, he was later recruited,” Mr. Hegan revealed.

According to Mr. Hegan, many employers today are not only looking for qualifications but also for a certain mindset and attitude that appear to be missing among some job seekers.