By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Department of Earth Science in conjunction with the University of Ghana Earth Sciences Students Association and Ghana Institution of Geoscientists has organized a day’s job Fair under the theme, ‘geosciences, a relevant tool in industrialization’.
This as part of its effort to help University of Ghana Earth Sciences Students Association (UGESSA) achieve their goals in securing internship opportunities and future jobs even before graduation.
The Job Fair has brought together over 200 participants including Students, Lecturers, head of departments, Professors to discuss, interact and network with the about ten industry players or companies in line with its activities marking the annual UGESSA Week celebration.
It is one of the ways created for the students to explore new or better opportunities, discover how their skills may be transferred to a different industry and explore career pathway opportunities, held at Yiri Lodge on the University of Ghana Legon Campus on 20th July, 2022.
Delivering his welcome address, Head of the Department of Earth Science, Professor Patrick Asamoah Sakyi was pleased to see lots of students turn up at the opening of the job fair, which he said, has presented “a platform that provides a unique opportunity for engagement, networking, and potential partnerships between employers and students. The fair is designed for students to interact with employers who are offering part time, full-time, and internship opportunities”.

According to him, the students would have the opportunity to meet future sponsors, reputable and well-established companies’ representatives and some of the most influential individuals in our Earth Science community as well as meeting these companies and individuals, “our students will be inspired to work hard and commit to their pursuit of their future goals, as well as discuss the hiring needs of employers”.
“For those students who are about to complete their studies, it is important to realize that securing employment is a two-way process. On one hand, students need to make themselves attractive to employers, whilst employers on the other hand put in a lot of effort to ensure that they find the best students or graduates.
As students, you are on courses to make the most important decision of your life, which is likely going to be the first step towards a successful career. Quite often, your first employer is likely to determine the path of your career, and can leave a lasting impact on your life”, he added.
Professor Sandow Mark Yidana, Dean for the School of physical and Math Mathematical Science acknowledged the fact the annual job fair is yielding results and he mention that, “we are making strives and efforts to collaborate more with the industry players to get inputs from them when developing our programmes and they are doing very well in this regard.”. he also disclosed the point that, their Schools’ colligation with players in the Mining, Petroleum and Engineering Sectors help secure intentions for the students to gain practical knowledge related to course of study by each student.
On his part, the National General Secretary of the Ghana Institution of Geoscientists (GhIG), Crisler Akwei Ankrah said, GhIG is better placed to address environmental issues in Ghana if given the needed attention.
The Ghana Institution of Geoscientists (GhIG) said it holds an instrumental place in the quest to resolve environmental issues threatening the ecological balance in the country.
According to the National General Secretary of the Institution, Crisler Akwei Ankrah graduating student-members have the potential of the prerequisite skills to change the narrative about managing the environment.
“This we believe will go a long way to complement but may not be the complete panaceas, for the degrading act and irresponsible handling of our environment and the exploitation of our natural resources in particular. We believe with the coming out the Geoscience Act, we will be in a better position to send people like you [students] out there to execute the agenda of taking good care of our exploration, exploitation and the management of our environmental regime,” he said.
The institution is undergoing strategic restructuring relating to its mandate and the legal regime which will enforce the drive to regulate the practice of Geoscience, the development and welfare of its members.
He revealed the Ghana Institution of Geoscientists will, in the near future, submit a draft of the Geoscience Act to the office of Attorney General for consideration and to go through all the necessary due process and approval by the legislature.
“We are at a draft stage of our act and that will be completed, and it is currently being reviewed by various stakeholders and at various stages and also the membership as a whole and will soon be laid before the Attorney General for consideration and then ultimately becoming an instrument that empowers GhIG,” to act on its mandate, he added.
The Job fair creates an avenue for continuing and final year students to learn, interact and have firsthand information from industry players in the country.
Among others, the event also forms part of plans to further equip students with skills, well balanced training theoretically, practically and professionally.
Global Mining-Tech Company, Imdex Limited representative, Edward Adatsi encouraged students to sharpen their presentation skills and the desire to seize opportunities when they present themselves
He concluded by sharing a touching story of how he landed his current job after school amid a severe unemployment crisis.
“If you are not willing to take on any opportunity, you will not even get a job because now jobs are hard to come by. I have a Geology background and I did a Master’s programme in Geological Engineering. [after school], Imdex came calling, jobs were not around. I said to myself, I am a graduate, I can do presentations, so why not?” He shared.
The Job fair was organized under the auspices of the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (UG) with sponsorship from Azumah Resources Ltd(ARL), Intertek Minerals Ghana Ltd(IMGL), Sahara Natural Resources(SNR), Ankrah and Associates Ltd(A&A), Schlumberger and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
The aforementioned companies seize the moment to express their profound gratitude to the Department of Earth Science, UG for the graduates it churns out annually.
Azumah Resources Ltd said Alumni of the Department are doing a “Yo man job and they have defined all the resources under it preview”