Government to use AI in job recruitment as universities face pressure to produce fit-for-purpose graduates

THE Public Service Commission (PSC) announced on Friday that the Government will soon implement artificial intelligence (AI) to shortlist candidates for interviews, highlighting the need for local universities to produce graduates who are fit for purpose.

Speaking at a public lecture at Gwanda State University’s Epoch Mine Campus, PSC Commissioner Professor Caroll Khombe underlined the importance of a learning institution’s reputation in recruitment processes.

Professor Khombe, who was standing in for PSC chairperson Dr Vincent Hungwe, also expressed concern over the low number of job applicants from Matabeleland region despite the Government being the largest employer in the country.

“As a commission, we are very concerned because we are not getting applicants from this part of the world. This public lecture is part of our initiatives to unpack what we do and show you the opportunities available. We are here to say we are the biggest employer,” said Professor Khombe.

“We are asking universities whether you know what we want as you prepare students. When we interview candidates, the first thing we look at is which university they attended. It is no longer enough to have a PhD or other qualifications; the university you come from matters. Universities are known by the students they mould.”

He said that institutional reputation will be crucial as the employer plans to adopt artificial intelligence in recruitment processes. Professor Khombe urged universities to engage the PSC to understand what is expected in producing relevant graduates.

“When we employ someone who is fit for purpose, that person should immediately take office and start running. They should know what to do on their first day. When we interview, we look at the university, and soon this will be done by artificial intelligence. You programme AI to say if they come from that university, no,” said Professor Khombe.

“It’s about the reputation you create for the university. We want universities to engage with ministries to understand the competencies needed.”

He said that the PSC is a crucial arm of the Government dealing with the human resources that implement policies through line ministries.

“We have what we call the tripartite in Government: the Office of the President and Cabinet provides policy direction, the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion provides funding and the PSC ensures the Government’s plan is executed, working with these two arms. The tripartite is there to innovate and guide the line ministries,” he said.

Professor Khombe also said that the PSC expects universities to partner with the Government in analysing data to improve the lives of ordinary people. He noted that the Government plans to adopt a cadetship programme for recruiting employees, aiming to employ graduates who understand their role in serving the public.

“We are moving towards internship and cadetship programmes whereby after graduation, you will spend one year in civil service, similar to how doctors operate. You will be paid but not at the full civil servant rate. You will go through all the cultural aspects of being a civil servant and after one year, you will be evaluated by a panel,” he said.

“All we want is for interns to gain the culture of what it means to be a civil servant, understand national values and commit to servant leadership. If you are stubborn at home, there is nothing a university can do for you. It starts from learning how to dress, how to talk to others and how to interact with clients, which we observe during your internship.” — @nqotshili