EDULearn Youth Entrepreneurship Academy held

EDULearn  Services Limited, a training and consulting organisation, has launched the first cohort of its Youth Entrepreneurship Academy, a dynamic initiative designed to address the pressing challenge of youth unemployment in the country. 

The one-week programme sought to develop skilled manpower through educational and vocational programmes that align with the needs of emerging industries.

The Youth Entrepreneurship Academy is specifically designed for post-national service personnel and unemployed youth, to equip them with the skills necessary to succeed in the rapidly evolving economy.

The initiative is meant to inspire young people by teaching them the fundamental principles of business, promoting an entrepreneurial mindset, and exposing them to the processes that make businesses succeed.

The academy is also focused on encouraging young people to explore creative and problem-solving techniques to adapt to the modern economic environment.

By offering hands-on training in various aspects of entrepreneurship, the programme aims to prepare participants to become successful business owners who can contribute meaningfully to the economy.

Essential

At the opening ceremony, the Executive Chairman of EDULearn, Prof. Ato Essuman, emphasised the essential role entrepreneurship could play in economic and social development.

He said small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represented about 94 per cent of the country's industrial sector and were responsible for creating most of the informal jobs, especially in a nation where 80 per cent of employment was within the sector.

He pointed out that with about 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35, youth unemployment had become a national security issue that demanded urgent attention. 

Wealth

"Government does not create wealth; entrepreneurs do," he said, calling for a change in mindset towards entrepreneurship as a practical conduit to job creation.

Prof. Essuman reiterated that the growth of businesses depended not only on knowledge but also on the support structures available to entrepreneurs, including access to capital and a stable business environment.

The Guest Speaker, who is the Founder and Head of Executive Coaching at Temple Advisory, Robert Bennin, emphasised that one’s career did not have to follow the same path as his/her degree and admonished participants who were mainly fresh graduates, to be open to exploring opportunities outside their field of study.  

He indicated that growth often came from stepping outside one’s comfort zone and embracing change.

“The skills you gained in school like problem-solving, communication, and critical thinking can be applied to a wide range of roles, even if they aren’t directly related to your degree,” he said.

Participants expressed optimism about their prospects, with many eager to embark on entrepreneurial ventures that can help address the unemployment crisis in the country.

The second cohort started yesterday, February 2, 2025, and runs through February 7, 2025.