The IET-Ghana Women in Engineering (IET WIE) Chairlady, Engr. Mrs. Adjoa Agyinba Tetteh Gyamera led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Ministry of Youth, Development and Empowerment.

She was accompanied by the Vice Chairlady, Engr. Mrs. Madina S. Adams, Engr. Dr. Mrs. Miriam Eduful, Engr. Professor Gladys Quartey and Engr. Dr. Dora Kwei Arko, who together represented the IET WIE leadership.

During the visit, the team met with the Chief Director, Prof. Alhaji Mohammed Saani Adams, and his team to explore strategic collaboration in mentorship, internship opportunities, skills development, and career fairs aimed at motivating and empowering young girls to pursue STEM and TVET pathways.

This initiative comes at a pivotal time, given Ghana’s current labour market realities. According to the Ghana Statistical Service, the national unemployment rate averaged 12.8 per cent between Quarter 1 and Quarter 3 of 2025.

Even more concerning, youth unemployment for individuals aged 15–24 stood at 32.5 per cent during the same period, significantly above the national average.

Across the continent, Africa’s demographic trajectory signals both urgency and potential.

Africa’s youth population is projected to double to over 830 million by 2050, accounting for most of the global workforce growth by mid-century.

With the right investments over the next ten years, particularly in STEM, TVET, digital skills, entrepreneurship, and green technologies. Africa’s young people can be uniquely positioned to drive industrialisation, innovation, and socio-economic transformation.

Evidence underscores this potential: TVET graduates are twice as likely to become entrepreneurs, and each $1 invested in TVET yields up to $15 in economic returns.

The meeting with Chief Director Alhaji Mohammed Saani Adams (Prof.) marks a meaningful step toward aligning national youth development policies with practical capacity-building interventions.

By fostering intentional partnerships such as this one, Ghana and Africa can unlock the enormous potential of their rapidly growing youth population and strengthen the foundation for an inclusive, resilient, and innovation-driven future workforce.