The Sunyani Technical University (STU) vice-chancellor has urged graduates to eschew complacency after school and strive to be self-reliant with the skills acquired.

Prof Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah also encouraged them to form partnerships, if need be, and grow their businesses.

He insisted they will succeed with determination if they make good use of the knowledge imbibed them at the university.

Prof. Adinkrah-Appiah believes this would help reduce graduate unemployment.

He advised during the 14th graduation ceremony of the institution in Sunyani in the Bono Region.

The occasion also coincided with the launch of the University’s 55th anniversary and the launch of a GHS 300 million endowment fund expected to drive forward the human capital and infrastructure development of the university.

The VC said, “the structure of the academic programs at the STU has adequately prepared you to be self-reliant as employers and not employees and as job creators and not job seekers”.

Though he admits the Covid-19 pandemic has created gaps in the national and global economies, he said it also serves as opportunities for Engineering, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and Entrepreneurially-skilled graduates.

“You must, therefore, apply all the technical, professional, and entrepreneurial skills you have acquired from the STU to make a difference in your own lives and that of the nation. Start your businesses and grow them into big enterprises.

"Form partnerships with your friends and families, and with determination and God on your side, you will succeed. However, I urge you not to be complacent in your new status as graduates, for the exigencies of life have just begun. Let the sky be your limit”, he said.

He tasked the graduates to be worthy ambassadors of STU and endeavour to contribute to the Alumni Association’s activities, including contributions to the newly launched STU Endowment Fund.

A total of 1,779 graduates were awarded B-Tech, HND, and Diploma Certificates in Engineering, TVET, Applied Science and Technology, Applied Arts, and Business and Management Studies disciplines.

Out of the number, only 672 (37.8%) are females.

The Vice-Chancellor of STU, Prof. Kwadwo Adinkrah-Appiah, said despite the financial clearance that enabled them to recruit 114 new staff and faculty, the existing Student-Faculty Ratio of the University at 1:28 is still above the GTEC requirements.

He, therefore, appealed for a new clearance to recruit more faculty to improve the ratio.

He noted that the university's management has initiated efforts to secure a public-private partnership arrangement to construct a 2000-bed-capacity hostel to provide decent accommodation for the students.

Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu Banahene, assured them of government's commitment to continue supporting TVET education as it is considered “a key driver and pillar to national development”.

She urged the graduates to be impactful to society and good role models by word and deed.

Some deserving students were presented with prizes, with Salifu Sumaila winning the overall best graduating student.

Founded in 1967 as Sunyani Technical Institute, the institution was upgraded to Polytechnic in 1997 with an emphasis on TVET, and in 2016, it was converted to a Technical University following the promulgation of the Technical Universities Act, 2016 (Act 922) as amended.