Dar es Salaam. As thousands of young Tanzanians prepare to leave colleges and universities this year, education experts and youth development advocates are warning that a degree alone is no longer enough to secure employment in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven labour market.
The warning comes as many graduates continue to enter the job market with expectations that do not match the realities of available opportunities, while others attempting to earn a living through online businesses and freelancing struggle to establish strong professional brands.
Speaking during the Career Development Project Summit 2026 organised by Save Youths Dreams Foundation, Project Manager Winny Kaaya said there was a growing need to expose students to employers, entrepreneurs and professionals before they completed their studies.
She said many young people finished university with limited understanding of what employers expected, the importance of professional networking and the opportunities available outside traditional formal employment.
“The summit is intended to equip students and graduates with practical knowledge about employability, professional identity and opportunities in entrepreneurship, the digital economy and the private sector,” she said.
Ms Kaaya noted that such exposure helps young people make informed career decisions and build networks that can support them long after graduation.
The importance of reputation and personal values was also highlighted during the discussions, with Public Relations and Strategic Communications Lead, Furahini Godlike urging young people to focus on integrity, accountability and honesty as essential career assets.
He said employers and business partners often judge individuals not only by their academic qualifications but also by their reliability, discipline and ethical conduct.
“Your values shape your decisions, and your decisions shape how people remember you,” he said.
The conversation then turned to the future of work, where technology is rapidly changing the skills employers require.
Communications Officer at the African Leadership Initiative for Impact, Yusra Abdulbastwa, said Tanzania’s Development Vision 2050 envisages a competitive economy driven by innovation, digital transformation, manufacturing and entrepreneurship.
She said one of the vision’s priorities is to create an environment in which young people can start businesses, access investment opportunities and contribute to economic growth.
“The government wants young people not only to seek employment but also to become employers,” she said.
Ms Abdulbastwa also encouraged students to embrace artificial intelligence, arguing that AI would not necessarily replace everyone, but those who failed to learn how to use it risked being overtaken by those who did.
She said skills such as empathy, ethical decision-making, leadership, vision and character would remain difficult for AI to replicate, making them increasingly important in the workplace.
“People who know how to use AI will replace those who do not,” she said.
For form six graduate who completed her studies in 2026, Buminganyikani Metson, shared that the summit reinforced the value of showing up where opportunities are created.
She urged fellow young people to attend seminars, conferences and youth-focused events even when there was no immediate financial reward.
“You may not be paid to attend an event, but the people you meet there can introduce you to opportunities that change your life,” she said.
Her message echoed the broader conclusion of the summit: that success in today’s labour market depends increasingly on practical skills, professional networks and the ability to adapt to a rapidly changing economy.
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