First ever Ghana virtual career fair launched

The Ghanaian German Centre for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (GGC) together with its partners – the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Ghana (AHK Ghana) and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) will has hold the first virtual career fair in Ghana dubbed the Ghana Virtual Career Fair.

The launch of the Ghana Virtual Career Fair which was transmitted live on the facebook page of the GGC offered opportunity for the organisers of the fair to throw more light on what people should expect at the virtual career fair.

Slated for 8 July, 2020, 10 AM – 2 PM and targeted at young jobseekers, the Ghana Virtual Career Fair aims to contribute to tackling unemployment and underemployment, improve skills base and promote entrepreneurship among the youth in the country; and to complement the efforts of the Ghanaian government in finding lasting solutions to youth unemployment. The career fair is hinged on four core areas of digital skills, employability, entrepreneurship, and exchange between jobseekers and industry.

In his remarks, the Head of the Ghanaian-German Centre, Benjamin Woesten, reiterated the Centre’s commitment to assist Ghanaian youth in their skills enhancement to use their potential in the most purposeful way. “In our engagement with the youth since the opening of the Centre in December 2017, one thing stands out – the Ghanaian youth is so full of great potential and given the right tools, platform and exposure, there is so much they can do. For us at the Ghanaian-German Centre and in collaboration with our partners, we want to and are happy to be the ones providing this platform to enable them achieve their dreams”.

Woesten added that “the COVID-19 pandemic, though it comes with some discomfort regarding our inability to physically gather at a central location as has always been the practice, is also providing us with a great opportunity for us to reach people beyond the limitations of a physical converging point. This means that no matter where you are in Ghana, you can participate once you are connected to technology. So, I will encourage all, especially job seekers and entrepreneurs to take advantage of this virtual career fair which has so much to offer.”

On his part, the Delegate of the Delegation of German Commerce and Industry (AHK Ghana), Dr. Michael Blank, encouraged people to take the new reality as a challenge and step up to it by going digital and discovering new ways of connecting, experiencing, and sharing.

The Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Hon. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, in his address indicated that the Ministry’s cooperation with GIZ, particularly the GGC, has resulted in over 1000 job opportunities “for the young Ghanaian who otherwise had no hope of getting opportunities.” He urged all young people desirous of getting jobs and employers keen on engaging young talented people to take advantage of the Ghana Virtual Career Fair and be present (virtually) at the fair.

The Ghana Virtual Career Fair will feature seasoned speakers from the private sector and will give participants rare opportunity to engage with speakers through virtual workshops, panel discussions, crash courses, among others all on one platform. Organisers also announced at the launch that the first 500 people to register will receive free data packages. Registration is free and is now opened at the Facebook page of the GGC (FB: Ghanaian German Centre).

Anchored on its three pillars of Career Guidance, Employment Promotion and Reintegration Support services, the GGC offers employment promotion services to job seekers in Ghana and counsels its clients on socio-economic prospects in Ghana. The Centre targets local population and returning migrants alike. Its services include individual counselling, profiling, soft skills trainings, career guidance advice, psycho-social support, referral into vocational and entrepreneurship trainings and start-up support (trainings, equipment, and business registration) among others.

Since its inception in December 2017, the Centre has counselled more than 12,000 individuals, offered more than 13,000 employment promotion measures and facilitated more than 1,000 persons into employment or supported in setting up a business.

The Ghanaian-German Centre for Jobs and Reintegration (GGC) is part of the global project “Programme Migration for Development” (PMD), which is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in Ghana in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations (MELR).

GGC’s objective is to support Government’s effort at improving living conditions and provide opportunities to enhance job prospects, now and in the future. This entails activities to promote education, training and employment opportunities. The support is aimed not only at the local population and internally displaced people, but also at those returning home from Germany.