The second session of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) 2024 HOPE Roadshow was held for levels 300 and 400 students and focused on: Career Counseling and Entrepreneurship. The event took place at the Auditorium, Multi-Purpose Building of the University. The facilitators were Vice-Chancellor Prof. Eric Nyarko-Sampson, a professional career and guidance counselor, and Mrs. Gifty Volimkarime Kuug of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Evaluation Development (CEED), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).
Initiating the conversation, Prof. Nyarko-Sampson urged the students to always manifest uniqueness in all their endeavours and noted that a student’s ability to stand out always starts with the choices they make, such as their choice of programme of study, the best way to explore opportunities presented in those particular areas of study, and, most importantly, their ability to decide to stick with that choice and make the most out of it.
Elaborating on this, he said employers usually prefer to engage persons who have acquired knowledge in a specific area of education, as opposed to what he referred to as “skirt and blouse,” where students obtain a first degree in one area of study, and later obtain a Master’s and PhD in unrelated areas. This situation complicates matters for job applicants, as employers have difficulty placing such candidates.
Prof. Nyarko-Sampson advised the students to make conscious efforts to fully understand the career progression of their programmes of study to make the right choices for life. After their first degree, they should continue studying. This is because, continuous education broadens one’s knowledge, makes them unique in their professional capacities, and increases their employability in the job market.
Speaking on “Fostering an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Its Significance and Methods,” Mrs. Volimkarime Kuug mentioned that as inevitable as it may be for the old to retire, they would always prefer to hand over to young, hardworking individuals—not necessarily relatives but persons with an entrepreneurial mindset who show greater promise in effectively managing and sustaining inherited businesses.
Mrs. Kuug encouraged the students to make good use of the opportunities all around them, including technology and social media, to ensure they can have a workable scheme for growth and advancement to match available vacancies. She believes this is the surest way to maintain relevance in any space one finds oneself.
She also emphasised the need to build networks and select mentors who can make a great impact on their lives.
