The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) School of Business (KSB) has met with some members of the Association of Small Scale Industries (ASSI) in the Ashanti Region. The interaction was a follow-up to the outreach programme dubbed “KSB Market Attack Outreach” held by the KSB Students’ Association together with faculty at the Kumasi Central and Suame Markets. The event which was attended by traders and artisans, was to offer academia the opportunity to know their training needs and business challenges in order to offer solutions to them.
In his opening remarks, Reverend Professor Charles Ansah, Pro Vice-Chancellor, said it is a challenge to see more graduates produced each year who are to be unemployed. Reverend Professor Charles Ansah said he hoped such collaborations will afford students the opportunity to be able to set up businesses. He continued that both the small business owners and the students have something good to learn from each other and urged both parties to participate fully in order to benefit from the discussions.
Professor Nathaniel Boso, Dean of the KSB, said reports by KSB students from the outreach and studies conducted on the small business owners indicate that they are doing well. He however, indicated that despite their success, they have some challenges, which call for training programmes to help their businesses to flourish. He said the interactions with them will enable academia develop training programmes to assist them to meet their needs.
Mr. Opoku Dankwa, Chairperson of ASSI, said his outfit is delighted in the partnership as he believes they will be educated on innovative ways of doing business. He also called for training in accounting systems, book keeping, branding, Information technology skills, among others.
Mr. Samuel Akomeah, Head of the Centre for Business Development, said for the past three years, the University through the Kumasi Business Incubator has developed creative business ideas into viable business and this has increased entrepreneurship among students and has created employment for some youth in the country. He therefore commended the ASSI and KSB and promised the CBD’s assistance to help develop their businesses.
The event saw participants informing faculty on their business challenges and faculty offering solutions to them. Participants also informed faculty on the preferred areas of training. There was also an exhibition by the artisans which featured metal products, jewellery, African prints and garments, bead works, leather footwear, furniture, ceramics, decorations, among others.
