The Design & Technology Institute (DTI) organized an eight-week summer internship training programme for 282 students from nine tertiary institutions in Ghana to provide them with industry experience relevant to their transition into the workforce.

It is a hands-on learning experience built around two core areas: soft skills training (work readiness and transition to work skills) and hard skills training.

The training forms part of a three-year partnership with the Mastercard Foundation under the Young Africa Works initiative to provide work-related opportunities to young people, particularly women and disadvantaged youth.

Students went on industrial field trips to learn about industry operations first-hand, interacted with seasoned industry leaders, and attempted to identify industry problems. They worked in groups to develop creative solutions to the identified problems, while honing their interpersonal and teamwork skills.

The founder and CEO of the Design and Technology Institute (DTI), Ms Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, urged the students to develop a growth mindset and the right attitude to succeed in the workplace. “Take charge of your own personal and professional development, because DTI has provided you with opportunities to learn and grow; it is up to you to seize these opportunities to grow,” she added.

Mr Mubarik Ahmed, DTI's Industry & Workplace Coordinator, congratulated the students for completing the eight-week programme and emphasized the importance for the students to have the right attitude and mindset to enter the workforce in his opening remarks.

"It is worth noting that many employers consider candidates' attitude and mindset before hiring them. As an institution that champions internship training opportunities for Universities and Technical institutions to accelerate growth and development, we have provided you with the right tools and resources, both soft and hard skills, to set you apart in the job market," Mr Mubarik Ahmed said.

He thanked the over 30 industry partners who made the programme a success.

Africa Concrete Products Limited's Operations Manager, Philip Opare, praised DTI for the internship program. "The students posted to our company were top notch. This was evident in how they approached work, their colleagues and their output for the past six weeks.”

"The internship programme is relevant because it provides students with the practical knowledge that industry requires. The students are recruitable and employable after the programme," said Moses Laah, Factory Manager at Sixteen47 Ghana.

Selina Amoah, a Civil Engineering student at KNUST said that the soft skills training was instrumental for her to interact seamlessly with people "the soft skills training was educational, insightful, and eye-opening because I was exposed to precision quality and strategy development. During my hard skills training at Africa Concrete Products, it helped me to assist customers in selecting the right products for their projects. I've learned how to hone my entrepreneurial abilities, as well as the proper attitude for field work and a keen sense of precision."

"The internship provided me with industry experience during my six weeks of hard skills training. It gave me access to information and equipment that I would not have had on campus. It helped me apply, evaluate, test, and integrate academic knowledge and theoretical concepts in the workplace. It has also taught me to be responsible for my life and education by assisting me in developing self-reliance skills," Joshua Akoto, a KNUST Communication Design student, added.

A total of 282 students comprising 177 males and 105 females from the University of Ghana, KNUST, AAMUSTED, Ho Technical University, Takoradi Technical University, Accra Technical University, University of Mines and Technology, UPSA and Kumasi Technical University benefited from the programme.

KNUST students are able to participate in this year’s programme as part of an MOU signed between KNUST and DTI earlier in the year to collaborate in several areas including internship programmes and research.

The interns were awarded certificates of completion for their participation in the training programme during a delightful closing ceremony. Students displayed their group project work, and those who demonstrated exceptional attitude and behaviour during their internship period were recognized.