The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in collaboration with Women-in-Engineering (WinE) and the Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), have held a career development programme for female engineering students at the Engineers Centre, Roman Ridge, Accra on Thursday, January 20, 2022.

Participants included female engineering students from the University of Ghana, Regional Maritime University, Central University, Academic City College, Accra Technical University and University of Mines & Technology attended the programme. Those who joined via online included Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (KNUST), and Ashesi University.

Special invitations were extended to female engineers at CSIR led by Dr. Rose Omari, and also the Chief Operations Officer of AIMS Ghana, Adelaide Asante. Also invited were Ing. Prof. Elsie Kauffman of Science and Maths Quiz fame and distinguished members of the Engineering fraternity.

In his welcome address, the Executive Director of the GhIE, Ing. David Nyante admonished the students saying, “as female engineering students your career goals are not only about your occupation, it is also about your progress in life, your growth and your development in all other aspects of life”.

He added that programmes like this help students develop the resources they need to move forward along their career path. He urged UNESCO to assist WinE to extend this program to all GhIE branches in the country.

In her opening address, the President of WinE, Ing. Dr. Enyonam Kpekpena thanked UNESCO for supporting them to bring this career development programme into fruition.

She said, this event marks the first of a series of activities planned this year to empower females who are involved in the study and practice of engineering to break barriers and climb higher in their academic and professional pursuits as they contribute to solving societal problems.

The President of GhIE, Ing. Rev. Prof. Charles Adams, who joined the programme via zoom from Kumasi advised young female engineers to take mentorship very seriously since it prepares them to face life and the profession they have chosen very well.

He assured the female engineering students that the institution is there to support them with quality engineering professionals to continue mentoring them.

Delivering her goodwill message to the participants, the President of the Federation of African Engineering Organization (FAEO), Ing. Carlien Bou-Chedid said her federation has recognized the need for a strong, diverse and inclusive engineering workforce in Africa if we are to develop as a continent.

She added that Africa needs people who understand the problems and come up with solutions that are appropriate for all.

The representative of UNESCO to Ghana, Abdourahamane Diallo expressed delight that his outfit has been able to support WinE to organize programme and urged the female engineering students to take advantage of the programme to bridge the gap in the engineering profession.

He said, the call for gender equality in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) should not be limited to the elite, but should extend to all girls and women, especially those living with disabilities.