[Source: Chetu]

Higher Education Commission of Fiji Chief Executive, Dr. Rohit Kishore, says the workforce landscape has changed immensely following the COVID-19 pandemic, as day-to-day tasks are now more technology-driven.

Dr. Kishore says with the change in business operating models, universities will also need to tweak their programs to incorporate technologies such as AI, while simultaneously adapting teaching styles.

His comments come as a number of employers have raised concerns about the quality of graduates entering the workforce.

Dr. Kishore suggests that more sophistication is needed in school curriculums and tertiary education programs in the technology area.

“Artificial intelligence, as you know, everybody is talking about AI now. And here you go, the world is changing, the business people get on to these things quickly, the industry catches up on very quickly. So we’re ensuring that the institutions on the other side are streamlining themselves and really, so this is where the dialogue comes very handy.”

Dr. Kishore says the industry’s needs should match with the services provided by the educational institutions.

“Through our ISAC committee, industry executive committees to make sure that their input goes into the curriculum design, what should be out in the curriculum, what should our graduates have, what sort of aptitude, aptitude, you know, skills, soft skills and the rest of the things they’ll talk about, together with the hard skills they should have to really match.”

The High Education Commission is optimistic that universities and employers will continue to work together so that Fiji has the right skill sets suited to all industry needs in the future.