School children urged to discuss career preferences with parents

@InspireAfrica, an NGO, has organised two workshops for the Apenkwa Presby Junior High School (JHS) and Sheayennoh JHS students both in the Apenkwa community.

The two schools form part of the Ghana Education Service (GES) approved list of schools for the BeamAfrica workshop – an initiative that is aimed at providing direction for children on issues that affect their lives.

The BeamAfrica initiative is aimed at exposing children to various career opportunities and empowering them with the relevant skills to make informed choices in their career choices.

Speaking at the workshop on December 3, 2015, the instructor, Mrs. Victoria Lugey, a journalist by profession with expertise in broadcasting and advertising, taught the children on the topic ‘Choosing Your Career Path’.

She took them through identifying their interests, likes and strengths. She also told them to acquire the relevant skills needed for each career.

Using her personal career journey, Mrs. Lugey, shared her educational background with the students. She said that she attended the Ghana Institute of Journalism in order to acquire the relevant skills and ethos of the journalism profession.

She said that at the University of Ghana, she read Sociology which deals with understanding the culture, relationships and interaction between people which gave her an added advantage in her profession.

She emphasised the need for children to be aware of their values and beliefs as that affects choices. She also took them through a session of interrogating whether they enjoyed doing things individually or in groups as this influences the choice of one’s career.

During the feedback session, some students mentioned that they had learnt important lessons on what to look out for when choosing a career. A JHS 3 student asked what the best approach would be in a situation where parents want their wards to take on specific careers contrary to the interests of the child.

Mrs. Lugey urged the children to have an open conversation with parents on their interests and to tell them the reasons why they feel they will do well in those careers.

In Mrs Victoria Lugey’s concluding remarks she said to the students, “reading is the most important ingredient that will positively impact your career”. She said, “follow your interest and do not be afraid, challenge yourself to do it and take it in your stride”.

The Assistant School Prefect at Apenkwa Presbyterian JHS closed the session with a prayer and thanked @InspireAfrica for the initiative and for the skills and lessons shared with the students.

In closing the workshop in both schools, the founder of @InspireAfrica, Mr. Kenny Nii Tackie Tagoe, mentioned that there would be a follow-up session to reinforce the lessons and skills taught.

He said the program is a 3-tier programme and that the final leg would be office visits where students get to experience skills set, the functions and roles of different careers within the professional space.

He also stated that students from other public schools would have the opportunity of being a part of this important initiative.

He called on Corporate Institutions, Government Agencies, Foreign Missions, International Organisations and Philanthropists to support the NGO in order to sustain the BeamAfrica program.

For more information visit www.inspireafricango.org