CEO of the McDan Group of Companies, Dr Daniel McKorley
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the McDan Group of Companies, Dr Daniel McKorley, has called for a radical shift in how internships are structured.
Delivering a keynote address at a chancellor’s lecture and history book launch as part of the 70th anniversary celebration of Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Dr McKorley lamented the common practice of companies using interns as “messengers,” rather than providing meaningful training.
“Whenever you send students to companies to go and learn, they end up turning them into messengers. They send them to go and buy food,” Dr McKorley lamented.
He pointed out the absurdity of assigning tasks like running errands to students studying electrical engineering or other technical fields, effectively wasting their valuable learning time.
While acknowledging the importance of understanding workplace culture, Dr McKorley emphasised that companies must prioritise the development of interns’ skills.
“Too often, some businesses use interns as a source of free labor, assigning them to tasks meant for paid employees, whilst offering little or no professional development in return. If we truly want to prepare our youth for the workforce, we must give them real work experience, not lunch delivery schedules,” he said.
Dr McKorley stressed the McDan Group’s commitment to skills training through initiatives like the McDan Entrepreneur Challenge and scholarships.
He urged more businesses, policymakers, and educational institutions to join the cause.
“It is time to move beyond just discussing the skill gap. It is time to take action,” he added.
Beyond internships, Dr McKorley spoke passionately about the potential of Ghana’s industrial sector, particularly the salt industry, given McDan’s ownership of one of Africa’s largest salt mines.
He stressed the importance of technical students benefiting from this resource. He announced the construction of a salt refinery and a chlor-alkali plant to produce chemicals for the mining industry, projects that will provide valuable opportunities for KsTU students.
Dr Daniel McKorley also advocated for a significant overhaul of the university’s curriculum, suggesting that students spend a year in the field during their second year of study to gain practical industry knowledge before graduation.
“I will advocate for that; that the student gets industry knowledge before they complete their studies so we will not continue producing students for the job market that they have to start learning,” he added.
He further emphasised the need for increased industry collaboration through mentorship programs, urging universities to bring industry experts into the classroom to share their practical knowledge.
“I believe that everybody that goes through a technical institution is an entrepreneur by nature,” he noted, stressing the importance of entrepreneurship training in the curriculum. “Immediately they leave here and they are starting their own business, they should know that a business, one plus one, is three.”
Dr McKorley concluded by emphasising that “investment in technical education is an investment in our future.”
He urged prioritisation of infrastructure, curriculum reform, and industry collaboration to prepare students for success.
He also called for a shift in mindset, urging Ghanaians to “think local and act global” to foster entrepreneurship and build a prosperous future.
Meanwhile, watch this concluding part of our sit-down with the 100-year-old World War II veteran, who was also present at the 28th February Shooting, below:
