The University Students Association Of Ghana (USAG) is gearing up to host a capacity building forum on youth and graduate unemployment to brain storm and find answers to the frightening rates of unemployment bedeviling graduates in Ghana.
According to USAG, Youth (Graduate) unemployment is a huge developmental challenge in Ghana and the world over; the reason for the current massive promotion of entrepreneurship. In this vein, to sustain both established and the new enterprises, there is an overriding need for a competent and skilled labour to ensure productivity and profitability.
The aims and objectives of the capacity building forum include:
Aim:
To educate students on their peculiar role in the contest of getting a job within the context of developing themselves and acquiring those skills, competencies and character-set being sought after by companies in the very competitive environment of today
Objectives:
Organizers hope that at the end of this forum participants will:
1. know what employers are looking out for in young graduates or professionals in context of a strategic competition among firms;
2. know what actual steps one can undertake to acquire those skills and character-set employers seek out in young graduates/professionals;
3. know what are the necessary and basic career plans a young graduate need to have, and how he/she can map out such a career plan
Networking Opportunity
Another key objective of this forum is to create a networking opportunity for participants. With the recognition and acceptance of ‘Networks and Networking’ as an invaluable resource, this forum also provides an opportunity for:
• networking with the resource persons and other invited executives;
• networking among students from different universities in the country;
• networking with some recruiting companies that will be present at the program;
• networking with some companies that will be present to exhibit and show case their goods and/or services.
USAG made this known in a press release signed by its President Laud Addo which was issued in Accra today, 13th February, 2013.
“In the heat of promoting entrepreneurship and working to resolve the issue of Youth (Graduate) Unemployment, relevant issues and questions being raised by employers regarding the competency of these young graduates/professionals, risk being glossed over or ignored;
• what is the quality of graduates being educated by the educational system?
• what skills and competencies are current graduates coming to the job market with?
• do current graduates have what it takes to fit into the very competitive nature of the current job market?
• do current graduates have the foundational skills, competencies and character-set to make them re-trainable and suitable for other job sectors or descriptions?” USAG further revealed.
On matters of non-functional graduates, USAG indicated that there have been countless complaints about “non-functional graduates”, from employers, hence this event would offer a platform for such discourse to find lasting solutions to the problems.
“This is indeed an issue that needs to be seriously addressed; it does not affect already established businesses, but also new enterprises and in the long-run could ruin the current entrepreneurship drive and promotion,” USAG observed.
For the student or young professional, the questions above are very important ones which he must dispassionately address and take corrective action where need be, especially as he enters the job market. These questions also indicate that indeed the student as an individual and a stakeholder, has a vital role to play regarding his future ’employability’.
To this end USAG, as a means of helping resolve this issue and in contributing to the national development agenda, will hold a one-day Capacity Building forum under the theme; The ‘Politics’ of getting Employed, Role of the Student.
The program will be chaired by Madam Nana Akosua Frimponmaa, 2012 Vice Presidential Candidate of the CPP.
Attendance is FREE; students and interested persons will attend at no cost. The first 100 Participants shall receive free items/souvenirs from some organizations.
The program will be held on Saturday, the 23rd of February at the Accra City Campus of the University of Ghana, 8.30am to 11.30 am.
Aside presentations by capable and experienced resource persons, several companies and businesses will be present to exhibit their products and/services and some to undertake recruitment drives for good and results-oriented students as prospective employees.
