For Gifty Tettevi, a four-week internship at the New Life Entrepreneurship Training Centre (NLETC) offered more than lessons in operating a sewing machine. It opened her eyes to how entrepreneurship could complement her scientific training.
Tettevi, a final-year Biological Science student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST), combined practical sewing lessons with entrepreneurship training during the attachment.
Under the guidance of the centre’s director, Isaac Adu Brenya, she studied the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs, types of entrepreneurship, financial literacy, unemployment challenges in Ghana and the role of entrepreneurship in national development.
The sessions used presentations and quizzes to help participants understand and engage with the concepts, she said.
Her practical training took place in the centre’s Fashion Department.
“I learned how to handle the sewing machine, practise different stitches and produce simple items,” she said.
Although the centre offered other skills training, including graphic design and soap making, Tettevi focused on fashion and sewing.
Working outside her academic discipline exposed her to different ways of learning and helped her develop skills she could apply to her studies.
“As a Biological Science student, doing my internship in something outside my field was very eye-opening. It taught me discipline, time management and adaptability, qualities that are already helping me in my academic life,” she noted.
The experience also broadened her career outlook, showing her how entrepreneurship could create opportunities alongside her scientific background.
“It showed me that entrepreneurship skills can complement my scientific background, preparing me for leadership roles and giving me the courage to explore opportunities beyond my immediate field,” she said.
Tettevi said the internship had strengthened her confidence and encouraged her to approach academic and professional challenges with creativity and resilience.
Story: Belinda Opoku Danso
