Online Reporter
Sharon Jiyamwa
Herald Reporter
Parents and students have been encouraged to rethink traditional approaches to education and career choices as the country continues to grapple with rapid changes brought about by artificial intelligence.
The call came as the 2026 Education Expo, hosted by the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in Zimbabwe on Sunday 30 August in Mabelreign, provided parents and young people with practical guidance on education, career choices, vocational skills and opportunities available in the changing job market.
Rather than simply viewing education as a pathway to securing employment, participants were challenged to consider how academic and practical skills could be combined to help young people create employment for themselves.
AFM in Zimbabwe, Bishop Dr Amon. D. Madawo said the initiative was designed to help families make informed decisions about the education and careers of their children.
“Parents, when supporting their children, must make informed decisions about careers and skills,” he said.
This year’s Expo carried the theme Elevated for Excellence and Impact, as the church declared that everything done for God must reflect His excellence and bring transformative impact to future generations.
For parents, the expo offered an opportunity to better understand the options available to their children beyond conventional academic qualifications, including vocational training, digital skills, scholarships and career guidance.
The initiative was particularly important at a time when young people are having to contend with a competitive employment market, with employers demanding practical and digital skills alongside academic qualifications.
Professor Wenceslaus Mudyanadzo, senior lecturer at the Women’s University in Africa, said universities and other learning institutions needed to adapt to the changing world of work, particularly as artificial intelligence continues to transform industries.
He challenged young people to move away from a mindset of simply looking for jobs towards developing skills that could enable them to create their own employment.
“Shift from the mindset of job seekers to job creators,” Prof Mudyanadzo said.
He argued that university programmes should place greater emphasis on practical application, saying graduates needed qualifications that equipped them either to secure employment or create opportunities for themselves.
Professor Mudyanadzo also advocated for secondary school learners to graduate with at least one vocational skill, saying such skills could provide an alternative source of livelihood for young people who fail to secure formal employment.
He cited a project involving Gweru Polytechnic, where pupils from schools in Gweru were able to pursue their Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) studies alongside Higher Education Examination Council (HEXCO) qualifications.
According to Prof Mudyanadzo, some of the learners were able to secure employment after acquiring vocational qualifications, while others used the qualifications as a stepping stone to further their studies.
The approach, he said, could help bridge the gap between education and the needs of industry.
The expo also exposed young people to the importance of artificial intelligence, robotics, data science, semiconductors and other emerging fields, with Professor Mudyanadzo calling for more short courses to help learners acquire relevant skills while the education system is being reconfigured.
