Barclays Bank Ghana has indicated that its transitioning to Absa will provide enormous opportunities for the Ghanaian youth to develop their skills and improve their employability prospects.

Engaging over 600 tertiary students on its Ready To Work (RTW) initiative, Barclays noted that Absa is passionate about youth development in Ghana and is ready to develop the skills needed by the youth to maximize their potentials.

The Bank made this known at their Ready To Work engagement sessions held at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), Accra City College in Haatso and All Nations University College in Koforidua.

“As Barclays transitions to Absa by February 2020, we are excited to deepen our commitment towards supporting the Ghanaian youth because youth development is one of the key drivers of our new Absa brand,” Priscilla Yeboah, Head of Citizenship at Barclays Ghana told the students.

“Absa has invested millions of US dollars to educate over 219,000 students across Africa, including Ghana through scholarships and the Ready To Work programme which is a free online platform which equips students and graduates with skills needed to make a smooth transition into the job market,” Mrs Yeboah added.

Head of Wholesale Credit at Barclays Ghana, Annie Aborah indicated that Absa will continue to build on the over 100 years of foundation and proud heritage established in Ghana by Barclays. “We look forward to using our impressive footprint in Africa to build a truly forward-looking African organization with a global reach that is committed to creating opportunities for the youth.”

The Ready To Work programme which has four modules - Work, People, Money and Enterprise Skills, provides graduates with the necessary skills and competencies to enhance their employability competitiveness.

The programme is in line with the bank’s citizenship strategy which aims to provide young people with skills and capabilities they need to find meaningful employment or start successful business ventures.