In a significant stride towards promoting collaboration between academia and industry in Ghana, the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (SPMS) at the University of Ghana organised a full-day Career Fair.
The event aimed to acquaint students with diverse career opportunities and provide guidance on pathways to career success, with a particular focus on Gen Z, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the Future of Work.
The Career Fair brought together students, industry leaders, and professionals from various fields to discuss and explore career opportunities for current students.
Addressing participants at the Fair, the Dean of the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Prof. Sandow Mark Yidana, emphasised the pivotal role of collaboration between academia and industry in ensuring a promising future for students, the workforce, and the nation as a whole.
He reaffirmed the School's commitment to fostering collaboration and innovating strategies to equip students with industry-relevant skills through events like the inaugural Career Fair. Prof. Yidana explained, "This is why today we have canceled lectures. This is a lecture on its own, so they should interact with the industry players here and then identify opportunities that fit their disciplines."
He also stressed the primary focus of the School, which is to create an environment where students can gain practical experience through internships, develop essential soft skills, and nurture their entrepreneurial capabilities.
Prof. Yidana encouraged students to seize the opportunities presented and revealed plans to establish an Entrepreneurship Hub within the School.
According to him, the proposed Entrepreneurship Hub aims to empower students by enhancing their entrepreneurial skills, enabling them to create opportunities in the job market. Prof. Yidana noted, "This is all about enabling our students to find better opportunities when they complete and also sharpen their skills to be able to create opportunities for themselves."
He expressed optimism for a future where graduates would not only be professionals but also future leaders, innovators, and problem solvers.
Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS), Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyemang, who opened the Career Fair, reiterated the importance of bridging the growing gap between academia and industry, particularly in today's rapidly evolving technological landscape.
He underscored the value of internships and collaboration between students and industry, detailing how such experiences ease the transition from academia to future careers.
Providing a historical context, Prof. Onwona-Agyemang noted that the College of Basic and Applied Sciences was established in 2014 as a response to evolving educational demands. He acknowledged the unique approach the College involves in the integration of science and technology with a wide range of subjects, to foster close collaborations
and sustainable partnerships with industry to enable students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges.
“One of the things that made this College stand out was its integration with industry, which allowed students to apply their academic knowledge to real-world challenges. The event was held to celebrate and promote this unique approach to education,” said Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyemang.
The Planning Committee's Chairman, Prof. Isaac Wiafe, expressed gratitude to several industry sponsors, including the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ghana National Gas Company, Chirano Gold Mine, GCB Bank and PGS, for their unwavering support.
Prof. Wiafe shared some thoughts behind the choice of theme for the Career Fair, noting that, "Pathways to Career Success: Gen Z, Providers, and the Future of Work, which is our theme, underscores the importance of bridging the gap between academia and industry.” He added, "With the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the employment landscape is rapidly changing, requiring industries to adapt to the evolving expectations of these digital natives."
With 29 companies from diverse sectors offering internship and national service opportunities, the Career Fair effectively demonstrated the School’s commitment to promoting collaboration between academic institutions and industry stakeholders while preparing students for the evolving job market.
