The College of Engineering (CoE) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, held the 11th Edition of the College of Engineering Awards and Career Fair. The programme serves as a platform to award outstanding students at the College as well as industrial partners who have supported the College’s activities.
Representing the Provost of the College, Professor Kwaku Amaning Adjei, a Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, mentioned that these awards were designed to recognise students’ effort and hard work. He emphasised that the awards serve as an incentive for students to strive harder. He congratulated the awardees for their dedication and encouraged other students to work diligently to achieve their respective goals.
He explained that the awards were categorised into three for each of the eighteen undergraduate programs: the Excellent Student Award, the Best Student Award, and the Most Improved Student Award. The Excellent Student Award - given to students who achieved a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 80.00 or higher. The Best Student Award -presented to the continuing student with the highest CWA at the end of the academic year, and the Most Improved Student Award - to the student who had the greatest improvement in their CWA. He noted that Special Students Awards had been instituted by individuals and corporate bodies for students who meet certain set criteria. He expressed his profound gratitude to the industrial partners for their continuous support in diverse ways to improve the quality of students that graduate from college.
The keynote speaker, Ing. Kwasi Nyamekye, the Chief Executive Officer of Vester Oil Mills Limited and an alumnus of the College, spoke on the theme, “Sustainable Solutions: Engineering for a Better Tomorrow.” He emphasised the importance of sustainable engineering practices in addressing global challenges. He highlighted the examples of Malaysia and Indonesia, noting how these countries have developed innovative solutions for their unique environmental and economic issues.
Ing. Nyamekye pointed out that Germany leads in engineering innovation despite space limitations, showcasing how limitations can drive creativity. He urged the students to challenge themselves to think beyond conventional solutions and to consider the environmental and social impacts of their work. He stressed that sustainable engineering is not just about creating efficient systems but also about ensuring that these systems can be maintained and improved over time without depleting resources or harming the environment.
He also highlighted qualities that employers look for in graduates such as creative thinking, problem-solving skills, trainability, and proactivity. He emphasised that the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and to continuously seek improvement is crucial for success in the engineering field.
The industrial partners’ awarded were: ABP Consult Limited; AngloGold Ashanti Limited; Ghana National Gas Company Limited; Associated Consultants Limited; Juaben Oil Mills Limited; Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Limited; Process and Plant Automation Limited; Electricity Company of Ghana Limited; Volta River Authority; Ghana Institution of Engineering; Ghana National Petroleum Corporation; Tullow Ghana Limited; Ghana Grid Company Limited; Telecel Ghana Limited; Huawei Ghana; MTN Ghana Limited; Western Rod and Wire Limited; Volta Aluminium Company Limited; Newmont Ghana Limited; Nestle Ghana Limited; Toyota Ghana Limited; Virtual Infosec Africa Limited; Virtual Security Africa Limited; Asib Limited; Ghana Highway Authority; GIZ, develoPPP Programme; Delft Imaging Ghana; Area 9 Lyceum GmbH; B. Braun SE; Sysmex Europe SE; The Quantum Group; CHEESA 2007 Year Group; Civil Engineering 2005 Year Group; Kasapreko Company Limited; TechnipFMC Ghana Limited; MODEC Production Services Ghana JV Limited; Ghana Institute of Surveyors (GhIS).
Since its inception in 2012, the award ceremony has been one of the means the College has adopted to encourage its students and acknowledge industrial partners for their enormous contribution and support to the College.
