GTUC to set up ICT incubation centres
The Ghana Technology University College (GTUC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jospong Group of Companies to establish Information and Communication Technology (ICT) incubation centres across the country.
Graduates from such centres would have access to critical information, office space and secretarial support, education, contacts, capital and resources crucial to the growth of businesses.
At the signing ceremony on Monday, Dr Osei Darkwa, President of GTUC said the collaboration was unique because this was the first time a university has teamed up with a private company to put up such centres.
He said incubates would be in ICT, mobile applications, nanotechnology, new material technologies, biotechnology and environmental technologies, among others.
The President noted that the collaboration would provide a platform for the incubation of ideas and financial resources to graduates from such centres.
This, he observed, would facilitate self development of technology solutions that would address challenges confronting the country.
Dr Darkwa added that the centre would help unleash the innovation and creativity in students, often embedded in their thesis, that are kept on shelves and left to collect dust.
He wondered why after 56 years of independence, Ghana still struggles to find solutions to various fundamental challenges; access to clean drinking water, power availability, poverty, illiteracy and access to jobs.
He observed that some of the solutions to the nation’s problems were hidden in students’ thesis, yet a sizeable number of these students sit at home writing applications for nonexistent jobs while others join the Association of Graduate Unemployment.
Mr Emmanuel Anane Boate, Chief Operating Officer of Jospon Group of companies signed on behalf of the company.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman of the company, Mr Boate said the drastic transformation of Ghana’s economy required professionals with market-driven skills and practical hands-on experience, adding that, there was the need for the integration of job and learning.
Mr Boate said it was on that platform the company was partnering with the university to provide the needed career training setup lines and work with the school, students and graduates to develop their research works into viable economic projects.
He said the company would provide the corporate working environment tied up to learning to help prepare graduates to meet industry requirements.
Source: GNA