Student internships must be with startups – expert

Dr. Richard Amponsah, the Managing Director of Accra Compost & Recycling Plant, has said in order for graduates to become job-creators, schools should make them do their internships with startup companies, instead of already established corporations where they will leave with little or no practical experience.

The business man, who has also lectured at GIMPA and other universities, said when the students embark on internships in startup companies it will make them think on their feet and outside the box.

They would also learn to improvise, as well as learn entrepreneurial skills, instead of choosing bigger and already established companies where they may learn something but would lack the ability to start things on their own.

"What startups do to interns is that: you automatically learn how to start your own business. I believe what we need most in this country are graduates who are able to venture into businesses on their own.

Universities should make students aware of these differences and encourage students to be more daring," he said.

He said the short-term internship that some tertiary institutions require of their students has become a mere formality, with no serious attention paid to what students get out of it.

"From the academic point of view, it is merely a requirement that must be met. From the industry side, it is a tolerated workplace disruption. Students swarm into offices, commanding the time of regular employees only to be quickly gone.

Interns typically spend their time as document controllers; in some places, they are time keepers and they pick up little experience or no practical knowledge.

Dr. Amponsah said universities must see themselves as startup incubators. For instance, he said a group of students doing their senior design project could be given an intellectual property of the university and start a company around it under the auspices of the university.

The university, he said, has good infrastructure and could also offer faculty supervision, which would be very helpful if the professors have strong real-world experience.

"Everyone benefits from relationships like these. If the startup is successful, jobs are created and income generated for the school. The reputation of the university is enhanced and an ongoing synergy between the school and business is created."

Dr. Amponsah, who is also an engineer by profession, said engineering students get little or no exposure to the realities of business.

"Business students do not know what tomorrow’s engineers are capable of creating. Elsewhere, top-tier universities in the United States, including Stanford, are making an entrepreneurship and commercial viability element part of their curriculum for engineering students

Who knows what will happen after teaming up business and engineering students? The possibilities are virtually endless," he said.