With Ghana facing significant skills deficits among graduates and professionals in recent years, Social Enterprise (SE) Ghana has taken a proactive step by organising a forum themed “Developing Skills for Impact: Training the Next Generation of Change-makers in Ghana.”
Held on November 14, 2024, at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), the event aimed to address the skills gap among tertiary students, formal and informal sector employees, and employers while strengthening Ghana’s social enterprise ecosystem.
The forum brought together representatives of government agencies, students, social entrepreneurs and enterprises, lecturers, industry leaders, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to discuss how to bridge the skills gap and explore avenues for upskilling and reskilling.
The highlight of the event was a panel discussion on “Upskilling and Reskilling for a Seamless Transition into Employment: Bridging the Gap Between Academia and Industry.”
The discussion aimed to equip participants with the necessary skills for their careers and academic pursuits, featuring experienced industry players who shared practical insights.
In addressing the skills gap, Mr. Benedict Mensah, an expert in skills development at Don Bosco Training Institute, emphasised the role of collaboration between academia and industry. He explained, “At Don Bosco, we hold periodic engagements and job fairs with industry players to identify skills gaps in their sectors so we can train students to fill those gaps. These engagements help us structure our academic curriculum to suit employers’ needs.”
Mensah further highlighted how Don Bosco equips teachers with insights into industry requirements, enabling them to tailor their teachings to align with job market demands. While recognising the importance of collaboration, he stressed the role of students in proactively acquiring relevant skills to adapt to the ever-changing industry landscape.
Ing. Samuel Boamah Danquah, Road Safety Coordinator for Road Design and Transportation (Accra-Kumasi), shared his personal journey of reskilling during his academic and professional career. “Beyond my university training, I worked for two years before pursuing a master’s degree. For my thesis, I needed to analyse a massive dataset. I assessed my options and realised I either had to reskill by learning software to analyse the data quickly or analyse it manually, which would have been time-consuming and could risk missing my submission deadline. I chose to reskill.”
Ing. Danquah urged participants to embrace innovative ways to work smarter and more efficiently.
Mr. Isaac Quansah, Private Sector Engagement Manager at Social Enterprise Ghana, cautioned students against focusing solely on their primary fields of study, as diversification can be instrumental in their academic and career success. Drawing from his experience, he said, “My first degree was in accounting, but I haven’t worked as a full-time accountant. My role at Social Enterprise involves engaging with the private sector, communications, and writing proposals. During university, I was flexible to learn additional skills that are now applicable to my current role.”
Mr. Quansah encouraged graduates to explore technical skills such as plumbing and electrical installation to broaden their opportunities while seeking employment.
Mr. Samuel Ato Aggrey, Executive Secretary for the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana, called for deeper collaboration between academia and industry. He remarked, “Industry professionals and academic institutions must co-design curriculums that meet industry needs. Once this is done, the country will see progress.” He also advised individuals to research job opportunities before enrolling in academic programs to ensure their studies align with market demands.
Madam Catherine Boafo, Director of Mawutwueni, a social enterprise specialising in personal care products, stressed the importance of continuous training for social entrepreneurs and social enterprises. She urged academia to partner with smaller businesses, noting, “Such collaborations allow social entrepreneurs and social enterprises to benefit from academic consultations, helping them upscale and reskill to remain globally competitive.”
Similarly, Mr. Bernard Selikem Dzakpasu, Assistant Manager for Governance, Risk & Compliance, and ESG Services at KPMG, spoke about the firm’s partnership with UPSA Business School. “Every year, KPMG identifies skills gaps through consulting reports. Based on these findings, we collaborate with academia to address deficiencies in their curriculum. We coach students on additional certifications and skills to complement their studies,” he explained.
He further emphasised the value of learning as a lifelong skill: “What you are taught in school may not always be directly applied, but the skill to learn stays with you forever. This skill will support your efforts in upskilling and reskilling.”
Mr. Edwin Zu-Cudjoe, Executive Director of Social Enterprise Ghana, highlighted the transformative role of social enterprises in addressing Ghana’s socio-economic challenges. He remarked, “We see social enterprises exhibiting their products, and it’s clear there is business in doing good. Businesses have a role in addressing the many social, environmental, and economic challenges we face in Ghana.”
Mr. Zu-Cudjoe encouraged participants to act as ambassadors of the lessons learnt during the forum and hinted at unique additions for the 2025 Social Enterprise Forum.
About Social Enterprise Ghana
Social Enterprise Ghana is a national network of high-impact social entrepreneurs, training hubs, accelerators, and enterprise support organisations in Ghana working together with government agencies to promote a conducive environment for social enterprises. It has a current membership of about 1,100 organisations and 40 training hubs that focus on competency-based Technical, Vocational, Education, and Training (TVET). It achieves this mission through effective policy advocacy, research initiatives, comprehensive training programs, and facilitating access to markets, finance, skills, and technology. Currently, Social Enterprise Ghana is implementing a 5-year Mastercard Foundation-funded project to train over 20,000 youth in areas of TVET in agriculture.
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