Imbibe professional skills, knowledge in students – CILT-Ghana

The President of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT-Ghana) has urged universities in the country to imbibe into students professional skills and knowledge in addition to their academic qualifications to enable them meet the demands in the job market.

According to him employers are now seeking for prospective job seekers with professional skills and knowledge in addition to their academic qualifications since it has become a widely-acceptable fact that graduates with professional skills and qualifications are problem solvers, innovative in their approach to work.

“…and above-all having entrepreneurial ethos. These, we hope the University of Ghana and indeed other tertiary educational institutions help students imbibe while under their tutelage.” He said.

Ebo Hammond was speaking at the opening of the University of Ghana Career Fair 2018 on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 at the Bank of Ghana Auditorium.

He pointed out that professional education includes any training that improves the knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviour and character formation of individuals which fully empowers and makes them ‘already-made’ for employment, hence as a professional body, CILT-Ghana appreciates the role of academic education in providing broad knowledge in various fields as offered by a number of universities and colleges.

However, he indicated that CILT-Ghana is also of the view that professional education is paramount to ensure a tailor-made education or training that provides specific knowledge and skills along with the vital attitude and character for the industry.

He said: “It is said that whiles academic education shows the ‘whys of things’, professional education shows the ‘hows of things’. In effect, professional education provides not only technical and industry-oriented knowledge, but also provides practical vocational skills needed for work to be accomplished with perfection.”

He urged government to see the need to establish Career and Counseling Centres at the Senior Secondary Schools to support students choose appropriate courses for their university education during selection of university programmes.

He also recommended to government to ensure that the country’s educational system involves entrepreneurial courses which will stimulate graduates to set up their own businesses.

“It is the observation of CILT Ghana that professional career counselling at this level of education is paramount to help students match their academic strengths with appropriate courses. This will help prevent frustrations among students when they find out later at the university that their ill-informed choices do not meet their future aspirations,” he said.

Mr. Hammond also averred that “if academic education is likened to a cake, then professional education is the icing which decorates the cake to make it more appealing, presentable and help distinguish one cake from the other,” encouraging students to ensure their ‘academic cakes’ are always nicely decorated with the accompanying ‘professional icing’ for attraction.

He also explained that CILT which is the only professional body focused on end-to-end supply chain resolves to continue to provide professional leadership and support national development through its ‘glocalized’ professional training programmes, undertake research and policy analysis on government and international policies which may impact on the country in diverse ways with respect to the logistics and transport sectors, continuous professional development, among others to support national development.

On her part, the Director of the Careers and Counseling Centre, Mrs. JoceleneBuckman said students deserve to be exposed to the myriad of educational opportunities available to them at one place, exploit the opportunities and benefits.

She explained that such events offer and spread the opportunities available to them since it exposes them to the business market and to the employers out there.

According to her, the University of Ghana is a pinnacle of academic pursuit and its Careers and Counseling Centre was set up in November 1970 as the Career Advice Centre with the mission to assist students in formulating and achieving personal, education and career goals.

With time, the Centre’s increasing role in counselling called for a name change to the Counseling and Placement Centre in 1977.

The name again was changed in 2016 to Careers and Counseling Centre to reflect the all-encompassing role of the Centre.

CILT-Ghana

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) was founded in 1919 and granted a Royal Charter in 1926 in the United Kingdom to promote, encourage and coordinate the study and advancement of the science and art of logistics, transport and supply chain and in all its forms.

It is a global organization with branches in about 40 countries in 5 continents; with over 33000 members working in over 100 countries.

CILT Ghana is the representative branch in Ghana with the responsibility for maintaining and promoting the charter and furthering the study and practice of the logistics and transport profession in the country.

It was formed in Ghana in 1965 but was registered as a professional body in Ghana in 1981 with Professional Body No. 20.

CILT Ghana currently has twelve (12) accredited training providers in Ghana namely GIMPA, KNUST, Takoradi Technical University, Ghana Technology University College, Data Link Institute, Regional Maritime University, Accra Technical University, Pentecost University College, Tamale Technical University, Koforidua Technical University, Zenith University College and ISLA Business School in Togo.

CILT Ghana supervises all these accredited universities, technical universities and colleges offering its international professional courses. It has sections in Accra, Tema, Takoradi and Kumasi.