Career Focused Education: “The Personalised Approach"

Career Focused Education: “The Personalised Approach

The 21st-century life places complex demands on graduates looking for work. As such, enabling students to become skilled and self-confident learners, who are career ready must be an integral part of education. The International Baccalaureate, in light of this, developed innovative programmes, which include the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP).

With the aim of encouraging talks and discussions concerning nurturing students who are cut out excellently for the various careers that exist in our society, Director of Al-Rayan International School, Dr. Fatma Odaymat, hosted a National Dialogue, on Wednesday at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Airport, dubbed “Career Focused Education: The Personalised Approach.

Featuring a panel of distinguished speakers from diverse backgrounds, cultures and vocations, the dialogue gave prominence to the 21st-century skill sets that leaders of industry are looking for, and the gaps that currently exist. Skill sets that can be cultivated by the IBCP.

Present at the National Dialogue was the special Guest of Honor, Honorable Gifty Twum-Ampofo, Deputy Minister for TVET, Dr. Peter Fidczuk, IB Development and Recognition Manager, (UK), Adzo Ashie, IB Development and Recognition Manager (Africa), Eddie Connor, Head of Vocational Strategy (Pearson/BTEC), Dr. Esi E. Ansah, Lecturer Ashesi University, and CEO Axis Human Capital Ltd., Dr. Fatma Odaymat, Director Al-Rayan International School, Rolf Duerrschnabel, Senior Trainer West Africa Vehicle Academy, Robert Nelson, Assistant Director of International Admission at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and Award-Winning Author and Producer, Apiorkor Seyiram Ashong-Abbey.

The event was attended by over 120 guests who were treated to great presentations, food, and entertainment. If you attended the event, you definitely would not have missed the lovely poem about Accra, by Apiorkor, neither would you have missed the face-to-face interaction with ARIS Partners namely Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Academia City, Pearson/BTEC and West Africa Vehicle Academy who displayed a model ignition and demonstrated how it runs, nor the very interactive panel discussions that took place.

“One good way to reduce poverty and to eradicate youth unemployment in our country, Ghana, is to introduce skilled and career-focused education” - Hon. Gifty Twum-Ampofo.

Education in Ghana, and indeed, all over the world has a huge emphasis placed on it. This is because, no matter what social class you belong to, in the general view of the society, the more learned and educated you are, the better your life will be. Thus a lot of people and governments spend a tremendous amount of time and money invested in getting a formal education.

However, we miss the chance of really getting a holistic education, when all the focus is put on theorization and cramming of these theories, neglecting vocational and technical education.

The International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), is here to give us that holistic education that also focuses on career-related learning and development of applicable, transferable, lifelong skills that prepare students for higher education, apprenticeships or employment.