Absa Bank has taken its flagship education and skills programme – ReadytoWork – to the northern part of Ghana, as part of a concerted effort to empower the Ghanaian youth with financial, entrepreneurial and work skills.

Representatives of the bank, led by Head of Citizenship, Priscilla Yeboah, engaged more than 250 final-year students at the Tamale Technical University on a diversity of topics, including financial management, leadership, workplace culture, career strengths and how to start a business.

The ReadytoWork curriculum utilizes modern tenets of entrepreneurship, leadership and financial management to empower today’s youth in navigating the challenging work environment.

The initiative also has a webinar series, which has become a leading platform for empowering and equipping the Ghanaian youth with modern skills to transit from school into the world of work.

In an age of fast-paced economic transformation and dynamism, access to employment has become a game of intense competition.

New skills are required in a world where digital technology, buoyed by artificial general intelligence, is at the forefront of creativity and innovation.

What the ReadytoWork initiative seeks to do is give the youth an early start in the job market.

Head of Citizenship at Absa Bank Ghana, Priscilla Yeboah said “Empowering the youth with cutting-edge skills to win in the marketplace is a crucial construct of our educational and skills initiative in Ghana.

"With a brand promise that empowers Africa’s tomorrow, together with a strong storytelling ethos and support, we see this programme as a game changer that will contribute to sustainable youth empowerment in the country.

"We always want to play a crucial part in helping the youth to fulfil their career and leadership aspirations, and we are happy to see this come to life.”

Last year, Absa donated 50 computers and accessories to the same University, following an urgent request from the school’s leadership for support.