Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA) held its Industry Roundtable event on Tuesday, 27 June 2023, at La Villa Boutique Hotel in Osu, Accra. The event aimed to foster collaboration between employers, universities, and colleges to facilitate the transition of young people from education to work.

At the roundtable, ESSA launched its latest report titled 'What Next? Enhancing African Students' Transition to Employment through Effective Career Services,' providing insights and recommendations for bridging the gap between education and employment.

The Industry Roundtable builds upon the success of the inaugural event in April 2022. It aims to establish an Industry-Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) network to enhance graduate employability and prepare students for success in the workforce. ESSA seeks greater collaboration and communication between industry, universities and colleges, and government officials for the benefit of young people.

The report addresses youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the significant gap between skills developed in universities and those required by the labour market.

ESSA's research, conducted in partnership with The Education Collaborative at Ashesi University and Kepler University, with financial support from Dubai Cares, sheds light on how universities and colleges in Africa can enhance their career services to support students' transition to employment.

The report outlines a three-step approach to address the skills gap and improve employability outcomes for African students:

Step 1: Understand employer demand for skills.
Step 2: Take a holistic career services approach.
Step 3: Measure progress.

Based on the findings, the report provides evidence-based recommendations for universities, colleges, and employers:

Recommendations for universities and colleges:

1. Collaborate with industry to assess the labour market and understand required skills.

2. Engage students in career service initiatives from the beginning.
Recommendations for employers:

1. Proactively reach out to universities for potential partnerships.

2. Share skills requirements with universities and create a digital platform for industry data sharing.

The ‘What Next? ‘Enhancing African Students' Transition to Employment through Effective Career Services’ report is a valuable resource for universities, colleges, educators, employers, and policymakers seeking to address graduate unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa.

During the roundtable, ESSA proposed the next steps, including investment to establish an Industry-Higher Education network, fostering mentoring relationships, and generating industry-specific data on skills needs and career paths.

To support young people in sub-Saharan Africa, ESSA aims to raise funding to help drive its efforts toward facilitating the smooth transition from school to work.

Find the report on the ESSA website: www.essa-africa.org.

Check out pictures from the event here.

About ESSA:

Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA) is a charity founded in 2016, focused on high-quality education that enables young people in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve their ambitions and strengthens society. For more information, visit www.essa-africa.org.

Media Contact:
Izel Kipruto
Head of Communications
Education Sub Saharan Africa
izel@essa-africa.org
+254724374904