The Ghanaian-European Centre for Jobs, Migration and Development, in collaboration with the Labour Department of the Ministry for Employment and Labour Relations, Youth Employment Authority and Wealth and Jobs Agency, has launched the Ghana Career and Migration Fair 2024.

Scheduled for October Tuesday 15 and Wednesday 16, 2024, in Kumasi, the event is designed to empower the youth by providing access to tools and knowledge in digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and skilled migration.

As Ghana faces a youth unemployment rate of approximately 14.7%, with over 1.3 million young people aged 15 to 35 currently unemployed, the fair comes at a critical time.

The situation is even more dire among vulnerable groups including females, who consistently experience higher unemployment rates compared to their male counterparts. These figures are reflective of broader challenges across Sub-Saharan Africa, where youth unemployment stands at around 8.9%.

“In response to this challenge, the Ghanaian-European Centre has been at the forefront of efforts to bridge the gap between job seekers and opportunities,” said Andreas Berding, Head, Ghanaian-European Centre.

“One of our key initiatives in this regard is the annual Job and Career Fair, which we are proud to launch today for the year 2024. The fair is designed to empower our youth by providing access to resources in digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and skilled migration.”

The fair will serve as a platform for employers and jobseekers to connect directly. Additionally, through a series of information sessions, participants will gain access to valuable tools and knowledge on entrepreneurship, skilled labour migration to Germany and the broader EU market, as well as insights into educational opportunities in Europe.

Since its inception in 2017, the Ghanaian-European Centre, through its flagship event, the job and career fair, has been a cornerstone in connecting employers with job seekers. To date, the fair has successfully linked approximately 16,891 job seekers with 413 employers, leading to the filling of over 1,258 job vacancies.

The event has adapted over the years, evolving from physical gatherings to virtual and hybrid formats due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with decentralization efforts extending to cities like Kumasi, Sunyani, and Tamale.

The Ghanaian-European Centre, which is an initiative of the German Federal Ministry of

Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and co-funded by the European Union.