Papua New Guinea’s education-to-employment gap remains a critical challenge, particularly in the private sector where businesses frequently cite a shortage of job-ready graduates. In response, more companies are forging partnerships with academic institutions to equip students with the practical skills required in the workplace.
One such initiative is unfolding between Theodist Limited, a longstanding retail and education-focused business, and IBS University (IBSU) and IBS College of TVET (IBSC). Following the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the organisations, Theodist hosted a group of business students from IBSU at its Port Moresby headquarters in a structured industry learning visit.
The visit gave students first-hand exposure to business operations across departments, including warehousing, sales, printing solutions, and customer service. The initiative aimed to bridge classroom theory with the operational realities of the private sector — a gap that educators and employers alike have identified as a barrier to employment and productivity.
Kevin Anderson, Theodist’s National Sales and Marketing Manager, framed the visit within the company’s broader education strategy, highlighting the value of long-term investment in human capital.
“Our business strategy combines smart marketing with a long-standing commitment to education. We’ve supported the sector for more than five decades because we know that building knowledge today ensures stronger businesses tomorrow,” Anderson said.
Theodist’s CEO, Mr. Kumar Baliah, addressed the students directly, offering insights on the complexities of doing business in PNG. He pointed to workforce readiness — or the lack thereof — as one of the country’s most persistent economic constraints.
“Getting people with the right skillset is a challenge in PNG,” Baliah said. “That’s why Theodist has been committed to supporting education for over 50 years — to help grow future business leaders like yourselves.”
His remarks underscored the tension between short-term operational needs and the longer-term goal of building a skilled workforce. Baliah also emphasised the value of cultivating a strong organisational culture alongside technical capacity.
The visit is part of a growing recognition among PNG’s private sector actors that educational institutions alone cannot fully prepare students for the demands of the modern workplace. Partnerships like the Theodist–IBS model represent a small but meaningful attempt to align academic curricula with industry expectations.
For Theodist, the partnership reflects a corporate strategy anchored in community engagement, particularly in the education sector. For IBSU and IBSC, it presents an opportunity to embed experiential learning into their business and vocational programs — a shift increasingly seen as essential to employability.
PNG’s workforce development challenges are structural and long-standing. But initiatives such as these demonstrate how targeted, industry-led interventions can supplement public education efforts and contribute to a more job-ready generation of graduates.
Theodist has indicated it plans to host further student groups in the future, viewing such engagements not as CSR add-ons, but as essential contributions to strengthening the country’s human capital base.