GCTU Signs Partnership Agreement With Seatec Telecom Services Ltd
In a move aimed at boosting students’ career prospects at the Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), Management has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Seatec Telecom Services Limited, a leading technology services company in Ghana.
The signing ceremony was held on Wednesday, 14th June at the Vice-Chancellor’s Boardroom with Nana Beecham and Akushika Dadzie representing Seatec and GCTU represented by the Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Registrar, Director of Internal Audit, Industrial Liaison officer and a few others.
Under the terms of the agreement, Seatec will provide practical training and internship opportunities for GCTU students, giving them the chance to learn about the latest technologies and practices in the field. The partnership aims to give students practical experience and enhance their skill sets before graduation, enabling them to transition smoothly into the workforce.
GCTU on the other hand would make available opportunities for staff of seatec who want to upgrade academically and professionally to enroll onto any of the programmes on offer.
The MoU was signed by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Ohene Afoakwa and the Managing Director of Seatec, Nana Beecham. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Prof. Afoakwa expressed his gratitude to Seatec Telecom Services Ltd for their commitment to GCTU’s students.
“This partnership is crucial in ensuring that our graduates are equipped with the practical skills and experience needed to succeed in the competitive technology industry,” said Prof. Afoakwa. “We are excited to work with Seatec, a company that is renowned for its expertise in the field.”
Outlining the vision and the new mandate that has been given to the university Prof. Afoakwa said, “We want to replicate the Silicon Valley of USA in Ghana so that we’ll be the technological hub institution when it comes to ICT so that if you need training in any aspect of ICT, this will be the institution of choice.”
GCTU has in the past few years signed a number of MoUs with very credible IT firms with the view to giving its students the much needed exposure to the practical work environment and building well-rounded graduates to fit seamlessly into industry when they leave school. Per the new mandate of the university, it is expected to train and nurture young talent to help push the nation’s digitalization agenda.
“We want to have agreements with a number of industries whose services, knowledge or expertise would be required after school so that we give our students the opportunity for intensive attachments and also national service so that we can get them adequately trained and prepared to support that agenda of the nation,” the Vice-Chancellor added.
Madam Beecham echoed the Vice-Chancellor’s sentiments, saying that Seatec was committed to nurturing future talent and providing students with the necessary exposure to the industry.
“We are thrilled to partner with GCTU to provide students with the tools they need to excel in their careers,” said Beecham. “We believe in investing in young talent, and this partnership aligns with our goal of developing the next generation of technology leaders in Ghana.”
Madam Beecham was thrilled by the fact that there is a mutual benefit in the partnership. “Having a mutual arrangement is very good. Yes, we don’t mind giving, but we also like to get,” she said. She disclosed that her firm has a learning centre in Tema that they want to brand as an IT institution. She indicated their readiness to collaborate in that regard, urging GCTU to “look at that possibility” if they want to have some presence in Tema.
The VC who was happy about the idea promised to pursue it and set up a learning centre in Tema to cater to that catchment area.
Beyond the partnership agreement, Madam Beecham advertised a further area of collaboration the two institutions could explore. Recounting her experience working with people over the years she mentioned her frustration with the attitudes of some people. She said: “What I have come to learn the hard way is a lot of people have the paper, but they don’t have the skill and the right attitude. For me, attitude is key. You can have all the skills you want if your attitude is bad, you can’t make it.
“So that’s something that I personally am passionate about. And I’m thinking around a mentoring program that we could collaborate with you and maybe we select some of your students and take them through the attitudinal approach because it’s something that is very key.”
Female empowerment is another area of interest. Being a woman in the technology space she lamented the under-representation of women in that field. She named the lack of encouragement and mentorship as the reason for that situation.
Seatec is a professional IT infrastructure services provider that specializes in enterprise networking, surveillance, audio-visual, network security, communication, collaboration, conferencing, connectivity and structured cabling. The firm has been in existence for the past 42 years with a clientele of major local and global brands.
The agreement is expected to increase the employability of GCTU students and provide them with valuable exposure to real-world situations in the technology industry. It is also expected to promote collaboration between the two institutions, fostering a close relationship that will benefit students and the industry at large.
