Let’s combine academic learning with practical skills — Stakeholders

Stakeholders in youth development have called for a more balanced approach that combines academic learning with practical skills and real-world experience.

That, they said, was to intensify efforts to tackle youth unemployment in Ghana.

They said that while formal education remained important, it was no longer sufficient on its own to secure employment in today’s competitive job market.

They, therefore, urged young people to complement academic learning with practical, in-demand skills.

Training

The speakers, who said this are Ibrahim Bashiru and Eunice Abedi, who led a three-day digital freelancing training organised by the Social Enterprise Ghana under the Uplift Programme, an initiative by Africa Forward.

For instance, Mr Bashiru said the training was more than just learning digital tools and that it was about unlocking opportunities.

“Over the past three days, we have equipped participants with practical skills in Google Workspace, graphic design, video editing and social media marketing, alongside essential soft skills such as communication, curriculum vitae writing and interview preparation,” he said.

He said those were to prepare the youth for the job market. 

Confidence

On her part, Ms Abedi underscored the need for students to not just leave school with knowledge but with the confidence and ability to apply digital skills in real-world settings.

"Whether through freelancing or employment.

The digital economy is full of opportunities and the youth should be prepared to access and thrive in that space,” she said.

Training

The training, which had about 200 participants, formed part of efforts to bridge the gap between education and employment by equipping participants with hands-on digital competencies.

It aligned with the broader vision of the Mastercard Foundation to support 30 million young Africans in accessing meaningful work by 2030.

Support

The programme also brought together key partners to support participants beyond training.

The FirstBank Ghana provided insights into financial management for freelancers, while the E4 Impact Foundation facilitated access to paid internship opportunities.

The Africa Technical Apprenticeship Network also supported linkages between trainees and small and medium enterprises.