The Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Administration, Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, has advised students to acquire professional certificates in addition to their academic certificates to become relevant in the job market.
She said academic credentials alone were not enough in the cur-rent competitive job market.
Ms Addo, speaking at a seminar organised by the Ghana Commu-nication Technology University (GCTU) for students, alumni, fac-ulty and staff of the university, said acquiring professional certifications was a crucial step to continuously adapt to the rapid changes within the career sector.
It was on the theme “The Role of Professional Bodies in Profes-sional and Career Growth.”
Ms Addo who was the special guest, said the seminar presented a valuable platform to prepare students for the realities of the modern workplace and to equip them with tools to navigate and thrive in the fast-changing global economy.
“Just acquiring a degree or a skill is no longer enough. This job mar-ket is saturated,” she said, adding that “Your capacity must keep pace with the technological revolution that is reshaping every single pro-fession in the world.”
The Deputy Chief of Staff en-couraged students to embrace new trends and tools, particularly digital technologies and artificial intelli-gence (AI), which she said were rapidly transforming traditional career paths.
Ms Addo highlighted the vital role professional bodies play in setting standards of practice, up-holding ethics, promoting lifelong learning, and creating valuable networks across borders.
“A thriving country cannot exist without economists, procurement experts, marketers, bankers, or lawyers. Professional bodies are more than gatekeepers of qualifi-cations—they are strategic partners in your lifelong journey as a professional,” she said.
Ms Addo cited the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a major opportunity for young professionals, urging them to tap into the $500 billion market potential it offers.
“The headquarters is here in Ghana. This is an opportunity for you to connect professionally and work across Africa,” she stated.
According to her, pro-fessional bodies provided mentorship, training, career guid-ance and serve as a voice for their members in times of need.
Ms Addo commended the GCTU for organising the seminar and urged students to maximise the opportunity to learn from the participating professional bodies.
“This is one of the smartest and most empowering investments you can make in your career,” she said. “Professional growth is not a solo journey; professional bodies are here to walk with you every step of the way.”
The Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor of GCTU, Prof. Ebenezer Mal-calm, said the programme was to bridge the gap between academia and professional bodies.
He said it was important for students to acquire professional certificates in addition to their academic degrees.
The Dean of the GCTU, Profes-sor George Oppong Amponsah, in his remarks said the paradigm shift in the current higher education was to marry academic work with professional practice.
He said it was on that direction that GCTU Business School was organising the seminar to bring professionals and students.
Prof. Amponsah said the pro-gramme was to teach the students how to practicalised the things they were learning from school.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE