DTI demonstrates effectiveness of industry-academia collaboration with ‘Jobs & Opportunities Fair’

The Design & Technology Institute (DTI) has reinforced the critical role of industry-academia partnerships in fostering skills development and job creation at its Jobs & Opportunities Fair 2025 held at the University of Ghana campus with over 50 corporate entities participating.

The fair was a vibrant showcase of how academia and industry can join forces to empower youths and drive national development through mentorships, internships, and other hands-on soft skills acquisition.

Themed: “The Career Expedition: Pathways, Partnerships, Possibilities – A Mindset Journey towards Self-discovery,” the fair went beyond traditional job recruitment, focusing on personal and professional transformation.

The student participants engaged in hands-on soft skills training, career guidance and networking opportunities, equipping them with the tools to thrive in today’s competitive job market.

The event was held concurrently with breakout session workshops, where students were allowed to demonstrate real-world projects, creating dynamic talent-matching experiences between employers and job seekers.

The panel discussions & workshops tackled the future of work, mindset transformation and industry expectations.

DTI’s President, Constance Swaniker, passionately urged youths to master in-demand skills, calling them the “new currency of opportunity” in a rapidly-evolving job market.

She described the event as a dynamic platform for showcasing skills, facilitating sectoral dialogue, providing mentorship and enabling real-time engagement among learners, employers and policy-makers.

She stressed that at the DTI, the focus is not simply training young people to join the workforce but equipping them to become creators of value, innovators of systems and leaders of industries.

“We believe that mindset transformation is the cornerstone of national transformation. Because without the right mindset, even the most well-designed interventions will fall short.

“It is not enough to train young people in technical skills. We must also shape their values, their vision and their ability to navigate complexity with courage and curiosity,” she said.

The fair served as a dynamic platform for students to explore diverse career paths while demonstrating how strategic partnerships can drive youth empowerment and national development, with hundreds of participants benefitting from direct engagements with employers.

Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, in his remarks as the guest of honour, commended DTI for shining as a beacon of transformation.

“I know that since 2016, DTI has relentlessly worked to redefine TVET across Ghana and the continent, contributing to the creation of over 30,000 job opportunities catalysed through industry-relevant training,” he said.

He also touted DTI’s partnership with MasterCard Foundation, which focused on equipping young women and vulnerable groups with essential hard and soft skills, coupled with an entrepreneurial mindset, indicating that it exemplifies the targeted, impactful interventions needed.

“We must deliberately replicate such collaborations in other sectors, including agriculture, digital technology, creatives and the green economy to expand opportunities for all,” he said.

DTI continues to lead the charge in bridging the skills gap and creating sustainable career pathways for Ghana’s next generation.

The fair wasn’t just a recruitment event—it was a rallying cry for innovation, mindset change and youth empowerment.

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