The University of Ghana's Distance Education Employability Framework Workshop
In a collaborative effort aimed at enhancing the employability of students in the University of Ghana, the Department of Distance Education, under the dynamic leadership of Prof. Samuel Amponsah, organised a transformative two-day workshop on the 3rd and 4th of February 2025 aimed at developing and integrating an employability framework into the University. This workshop, a product of the successful partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning, brought together faculty and key stakeholders, reinforcing the University’s commitment to producing graduates who are not only academically proficient but also industry ready. The workshop’s primary objective was to equip faculty members with the knowledge and tools to embed employability skills within their courses, thus ensuring that students leave the University of Ghana with both academic qualifications and the critical competencies needed to thrive in their careers. Emphasis was placed on creating curricula that responds to the demands of the labour market and equips students with the skills employer’s value most including problem-solving, decision-making, teamwork, leadership and adaptability.
Prof. Samuel Amponsah, who spearheaded the partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning, emphasised the importance of faculty in shaping the future of the Distance Education Programme. He stressed that by aligning academic instruction with the employability needs of the current workforce, the University of Ghana is enhancing its reputation as a forward-thinking institution dedicated to producing skilled graduates capable of excelling in a variety of fields.
The workshop left a lasting impression on Prof. Olivia Kwapong, Dean of the School of Continuing and Distance Education, who expressed strong admiration for the depth and value of the training. Recognising the potential of the framework to significantly enhance the employability prospects of students, Prof. Kwapong requested that the training be extended to all faculty members in the School of Continuing and Distance Education which hosts the Distance Education Department. She emphasised the importance of integrating employability principles across all courses to ensure consistency in equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in the job market. This request set the stage for a subsequent meeting with the consultant, Mr. Christopher Buekes, to explore how to roll out the employability framework across the School of Continuing and Distance Education’ academic offerings.
During the subsequent meeting, Dr. Samuel Quartey provided a detailed background on the new programmes (Human Resource Development and Professional Development) that the School has rolled out, highlighting the credit requirements for various programmes and explaining the structure from first-year courses to master's and PhD levels. This was followed by session led by the expert consultant Mr. Christopher Buekes, on an introduction to the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Employability Model, which is designed to help institutions assess, develop, implement, and evaluate employability within their unique contexts. The model is enacted through four cyclical processes: Assessment and Sensitization, Planning, Implementation and Evaluation, Reflection, and Planning. The aim is to comprehensively examine the facets needed to develop employability, considering the diverse needs of different institutions and regions.
During the interaction, Mr. Buekes explained that workshop participants in the previous training had critically reviewed the COL Employability Framework, which integrates the COL employability scorecard and key employability indicators. The group, after careful deliberation, opted to remove certain components, such as competency assessment, career guidance, business simulations, and employment brokerage, viewing these as future priorities to be addressed once the more fundamental components are institutionalised.
Over the course of the discussion, participants engaged in a series of interactive sessions and discussions designed to explore how employability could be seamlessly integrated into their teaching methodologies. The sessions, focused on practical approaches to teaching that build students' career readiness, with specific attention paid to how faculty could tailor their courses to develop essential soft skills, such as communication, leadership and critical thinking, alongside traditional academic knowledge.
The meeting ended with an agreement to pilot the employability framework and journey in the BA, MA, and MPhil Professional Development programmes, as well as the BA, MA, MPhil, and PhD Human Resources Development programmes. The next steps include setting up a School Monitoring Committee, the development of implementation plans and further faculty training to ensure that these changes are effectively embedded into the curriculum.