The School of Business of the University of Cape Coast has held its 2nd edition of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) Engagement Series with a call on students to learn to acquire extra skills in addition to the classroom-acquired ones.
According to the Chief Executive Officer and Founder, of Think3ice LBG, Mrs. Yvonne Dzotsi, students who take interest in the acquisition of extra curricula skills and knowledge will develop their competencies to compete in the world market.
The School of Business, University of Cape Coast instituted The Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs’) Engagement Series where seasoned CEOs from renowned institutions are invited to mentor and motivate students and faculty on developing their Entrepreneurial and 21st Century skills.
Presenting on the topic, Skills for Jobs, Skills for Development, Mrs. Yvonne Dzotsi said thousands of students are acquiring the same set of skills and knowledge across all tertiary institutions globally for the limited available job opportunities.
To her, employers are no longer interested in the academic certificates of job seekers but consider their requite skills which can help their organizations as the basis of employing new staff.
She, therefore, urged all tertiary students to maximize opportunities while in school to acquire extra curricula skills and knowledge to enable them to match with the current job trends.
“But what’s also important is your communication skills, your team building skills, your team working skills, your presentational skills, HR skills, just how you relate to different people, and all these help when you work as a team. So these are all important things that you need to take into account” she continued.
The Head, of Strategy and Transaction, Ernest, and Young, (EY) Ghana, Mrs. Alice Osei Okrah on her part called for the inclusion of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues into the tertiary educational curricula.
She explained that ESG is a set of standards that checks how the operations of companies impact on the environment, how employees are treated, and how companies uphold corporate governance.
To her, it is essential for the School of Business to introduce ESG into their curricula to imbibe the ESG agenda in students.
This she said will give learners the relevant knowledge for effective decision-making to help achieve sustainability in all sectors of the country adding that the SDG goals 16 and 17 fit into the ESG principles.
She made this call when speaking on the theme, Infusing Environmental, Social and Governance in Programme Delivery; Prospects for Holistic Training
The Dean of the School of Business, Professor John Gatsi noted that the school of business is committed to developing the right skills of students for the job market.
He, however, called on stakeholders in the industry to support the school of business students with internship opportunities to help develop their skills to meet their expectations.
On her part, the pro vice chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Prof. Rosemond Boohene expressed the need for students to build networks with industrial players to open chances for them in the business world.
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Source: Eric Sekyi/ATLFMNEWS