Ghana’s digital economy is expanding quickly, yet employers continue to report that many ICT graduates lack the practical skills needed for the workplace.
Despite the growing number of students completing computer science and related programmes each year, many still struggle to secure jobs because their training remains largely theoretical.
It is within this gap between classroom knowledge and industry expectations that CWG Academy has relaunched its technology skills development programme.
The relaunch, held in Accra, forms part of efforts to strengthen the pool of work-ready ICT professionals as businesses increasingly adopt cloud technologies, digital infrastructure and software-driven systems. The Academy, first established in 2015, will now provide structured courses in cloud computing, ICT infrastructure and software development for both students and working professionals.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the first cohort under the revised programme, Harriet Yartey, Vice President for Regions and Managing Director of CWG Ghana, noted the persistent mismatch between education and workplace requirements.
“Today, when looking for a job, it is not enough to say you have a degree in computer science. Academic training is often very theoretical, so graduates struggle to apply what they learned when they enter the job market. CWG Academy seeks to bridge that gap by providing hands-on experience that makes trainees job-ready,” she said.
The World Bank’s 2024 Africa Pulse Report indicates that nearly 60 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s tertiary graduates are unemployed or underemployed within a year of completing school, driven largely by the gap between academic instruction and practical skills. In Ghana, youth unemployment stood at 22.5 percent in 2024, with ICT among the sectors reporting shortages of skilled talent, according to the Ghana Statistical Service.
CWG Academy will offer short professional courses for individuals seeking to upgrade their technical competencies, alongside intensive modules for students and entry-level professionals. The company will also host national service personnel for year-long, skills-based training aimed at improving job readiness.
Many graduates, Mrs. Yartey noted, leave school without ever having interacted with live systems. “Some students see a server for the first time only when they start work,” she said. “Our goal is to ensure that when they enter the workforce, they bring value, not just credentials.”
Oluwaseun Layade, CWG Ghana’s Head of Projects and Technology Services, said the relaunch is grounded in the belief that exposure and opportunity are essential to growth. “Everything you have learned only becomes meaningful when the opportunity to apply it presents itself,” he said during the certificate presentation.
For trainees, the practical benefit is already clear. Raphael Amegashitsi, a computer science student from Central University and participant in the programme, described the experience as transformative. “The Academy made theoretical concepts more real by showing us how systems operate. I can now understand and apply concepts more effectively,” he said.
The renewed focus on practical training comes at a time when demand for digital talent across Africa is rising. The International Finance Corporation projects that by 2030, over 230 million jobs on the continent will require digital skills, creating demand for nearly nine million digitally skilled workers annually. CWG Academy says it intends to expand partnerships with universities and industry players to ensure the curriculum remains aligned with evolving market needs.
