University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) has commenced its second edition of the career fair, aimed at providing students with exposure to various career opportunities and industry developments.
The Vice-Chancellor of UENR, Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako, inaugurated the event.
Organized by the Departments of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, as well as Computer and Electrical Engineering, the two-day career fair carries the theme “Energy Transition Prospects and Challenges: The Role of the Graduate Engineer.”
Its primary objective is to bridge the gap between theoretical classroom knowledge and practical industry expectations. Additionally, the fair aims to strengthen the students’ relationships with key industry players such as Ghana Gas, National Petroleum Authority, and Electricity Company of Ghana.
Prominent industry entities, including Bui Power Authority, Energy Commission, GRIDCo, and the Kofi Annan ICT Training Centre, are also participating in the event.
The career fair provides an invaluable opportunity for students to engage with industry professionals and gain insights into emerging trends and challenges within the energy sector.
“Hopefully, our students will learn how they can land jobs with your companies, and certainly, we can foster relationships that can make UENR a choice institution partner for research and other innovative activities,” Prof Asare-Bediako stated at the opening session of the fair held at Fiapre, near Sunyani.
Professor Elvis Asare-Bediako highlighted the significance of strategic collaboration between the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) and industry partners. As the sole university in Ghana and West Africa with a specific mandate to train professionals in the field of energy and natural resources, such collaborations are crucial.
Prof. Asare-Bediako emphasized that energy has emerged as a central force driving global communications and policies. Given the adverse impacts of energy usage on climate change, it is imperative for the university and its students to actively contribute to national development efforts.
By engaging with industry partners and fostering fruitful collaborations, UENR aims to enhance its role in training competent personnel, contributing to advancements in the energy sector, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.
This fair is a step in the direction of exposing students to the career opportunities available to them following such conversations, opportunities for innovation, challenges and directions of the industry while studying on completion of their programmes of study, which will make them able and active citizens of our dear nation,” he stated.
The VC hoped the fair would therefore certainly expose the students to the potential areas they could direct their acquired knowledge and skills from their training in the university.
“Students in our Petroleum Engineering programme have been recent champions of the Society of Petroleum Engineering (SPE) Ghana Section PetroBowl competition. The Computer and Electrical Engineering students are also recent Robotics Champions, and we finally made a placement in the final three at the recent Gas Challenge,” he said.
Prof. Asare-Bediako noted that the energy sector was one of the key drivers of any economy, worrying that the recent astronomical increase in the price of fuel and electricity has had a ripple effect on the prices of basic household commodities.
“To secure the future of this all-important sector, a critical decision has to be made by grooming the next generation of managers, engineers and technicians,” the VC stated, and therefore underlined the need for the students to understand the onerous task ahead of them.
Prof Asare-Bediako said the global call for the control of carbon emissions has placed natural gas as the reliable source of clean fuel as the nation sought to bring renewable energy sources into the energy mix.
The fair would therefore create a platform for both industry and academia to engage on the Sustainable Development Goals and their relationship to effective collaboration between industry and academia, and their impact on national development, he said.
Dr Yaw Boakye-Ansah, the Head of Department of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering earlier said he was optimistic the fair would not only advance the knowledge of the students but also position them well on their career path.