A capacity-building workshop aimed at equipping participants with critical 21st Century Skills for professional development was held for selected National Service personnel from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) from 2 – 7 December 2024.
Participants for the workshop were thoughtfully chosen, with particular emphasis on young women, Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), and a select group of male participants.
Participants with the dignitaries after the opening ceremon
The five-day training was held under the auspices of the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) programme; Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), and the Mastercard Foundation.
The workshop which was held at the School of Graduate Studies Auditorium of the University of Cape Coast sought to empower participants to become successful entrepreneurs and also equip them in the competitive job market.
The participants were taken through topics such as creativity, critical thinking, personal mastery, and soft skills such as teamwork and communication, which are vital for career and personal development.
Opening the workshop, the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rosemond Boohene, who was represented by the Director of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprise Development (CESSED), Prof. (Mrs.) Mavis Benneh Mensah encouraged participants to seize the opportunities presented by the workshop for personal development and success.
She indicated that the UCC as an inclusive university continues to create avenues to reinvigorate entrepreneurship spirit among its students through established offices like the Design Thinking and Innovation Hub and the Business Incubator. “We attach importance to equipping our students with entrepreneurial skills and to this end, our university runs Entrepreneurship as a liberal course for Level 300 undergraduate students” she noted.
She further stated that the agricultural value chain presents a lucrative opportunity for young people to find dignified and fulfilling work.
The TAGDev 2.0 Programme Coordinator, Prof. Festus Annor-Frempong, emphasised the broader purpose of the initiative, which aligns with the goal of empowering Africa’s youth for socio-economic development.
Prof. Annor-Frempong encouraged participants to actively engage in the sessions and set specific goals for personal growth, particularly in entrepreneurial ventures like agriculture.
He urged the personnel to take every opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills, especially in a world where complacency and stagnation could lead to obsolescence.
The Regional Manager of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Cape Coast), Madam Benedicta Anita Mensah, inspired attendees with a call to confidence and resilience.
“The skills you acquire in school are transferable to the job market—be confident in applying them,” she stated. She also advised participants to cultivate creativity, humility, and strong interpersonal relationships while avoiding procrastination to thrive in dynamic work environments.
Madam Benedicta Anita Mensah motivating the participants
A Senior Lecturer at the Department of Communication Studies, Dr Wincharles Coker, who took the personnel through soft skills training, stressed the importance of effective communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence to the development of personal and professional success.
He advised participants to hone the aforementioned skills to navigate workplace dynamics and achieve their goals.
On the second day of the workshop which was led by the Chief Executive Officer of Gimel Entrepreneurship Consultancy, Mr. Jonathan Akure, took participants through “Personal Mastery (Goal Setting) and Reflection, Growth Mindset Development, Time Management, and Focus” who gave the advice, noted that goal setting was a cornerstone to personal and professional success, stating, “It is important to set goals because they will help you work hard and serve as motivation.”
Mr. Akure also introduced participants to the SMART framework for effective goal setting, which involves crafting goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
On the third day of the workshop, an IT Consultant, Mr. Kwabena Owusu Boateng took participants through Citizenship and Security. He engaged participants in online etiquette, data privacy and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, Google Workspace, Microsoft 360 and other interactive software.
The final day’s session which was facilitated by the Dean of Public Health of the University of Cape Coast focused on the development of technical and non-technical skills. He underscored the importance of both technical expertise and soft skills such as empathy, communication, and critical thinking in achieving success.
Some of the participants who shared their experiences and reflections on the workshop were grateful to the TAGDev 2.0 programme for the opportunity to obtain knowledge and valuable skills to guide them to achieve their goals in life.
In total, 144 participants attended the five-day workshop, which included 82 females—one of whom has a visual impairment—and 62 males, also including one individual with a visual impairment.
