Redefining Career Pathways in the Age of AI

Young professionals have been urged to look beyond academic qualifications and deliberately build skills, professional networks, visibility and demonstrable value as technology and artificial intelligence continue to reshape the global labour market. The call was made at the 2026 Career and Employability Fair organised by Docenti Global Business School (DGBS) in Lagos, where industry experts warned that traditional career pathways were rapidly changing and that professionals who failed to adapt risked being left behind.

The fair, held at The Treasured Place, Opebi, Ikeja, was themed, “Empowering Global Careers: Redefining Career Pathways for the Future Economy.” It brought together MBA and DBA students, graduates, young professionals, corporate recruiters, and academics to examine emerging career opportunities and the capabilities required to remain competitive in the evolving global economy.

Beyond Academic Qualifications

Speaking at the event, Hon. Remy Chukwunyere, Member of the Advisory Board of Docenti Global Business School and Director for Africa, InnoPower Africa Foundation, stated that academic qualifications remains important but are no longer sufficient to guarantee career success. He emphasized that professionals must focus on how effectively they can convert their capabilities into value.

A degree can open a door, but your skills and the value you create will take you through the door.

— Hon. Remy Chukwunyere, Member of the Advisory Board, Docenti Global Business School

Chukwunyere illustrated his point with a comparison of two graduates with identical First-Class degrees in Computer Science. He noted that while one might remain unemployed by relying solely on conventional job applications, the other could build a global career by developing digital skills and participating in international projects.

It wasn’t the university. It wasn’t the degree. It was what they did with their knowledge after graduation.

— Hon. Remy Chukwunyere, Member of the Advisory Board, Docenti Global Business School

The Evolution of Career Capital

According to Chukwunyere, artificial intelligence and remote work are creating opportunities for African professionals to work beyond geographical boundaries while simultaneously changing employer demands. He introduced the "4C Career Capital Model," urging professionals to deliberately build different forms of career capital where skills, relationships, and reputation reinforce one another. He warned against building identities solely around job titles.

Technology may change some of those tasks. Therefore, don’t build your identity around your job title. Build your relevance around the value you can create.

— Hon. Remy Chukwunyere, Member of the Advisory Board, Docenti Global Business School

He further identified Africa’s youthful population and entrepreneurial energy as major advantages but noted that the primary challenge is converting talent into globally relevant value. He urged young professionals to move from asking what jobs they can get to identifying what problems they can solve, stressing the importance of providing evidence of past accomplishments to prospective employers.

Bridging Academia and Industry Leadership

The Executive Principal of Docenti Global Business School, Prof. Humphrey Akanazu, described the fair as a critical bridge between academic preparation and industry opportunity. He reaffirmed the institution's commitment to quality and flexibility, noting that modern careers are increasingly characterized by movement across industries and borders.

Today is not merely an event on our academic calendar; it is a bridge. It is the precise intersection where talent meets opportunity, where academic preparation transforms into industry leadership, and where individual ambition finds its global trajectory.

— Prof. Humphrey Akanazu, Executive Principal, Docenti Global Business School

Adding to the discourse, Dr. Tola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi, Chief Executive of Awesome Foundation, challenged participants to reconsider their understanding of career preparation. She distinguished between possessing a skill and converting that skill into value, noting that familiarity with tools like AI does not automatically make a professional valuable unless applied to solve specific problems.

A skill is potential. Value is application. Don’t spend your career asking to be seen. Build something worth seeing.

— Dr. Tola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi, Chief Executive, Awesome Foundation

Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi advised professionals to build visibility through platforms like LinkedIn and thought leadership projects. Both speakers concluded by urging participants to build portfolios of evidence demonstrating their competence, reminding them that an academic discipline should serve as a foundation rather than a limitation.