Professional women staff of Voltic (GH) Limited as part of activities to mark International Women’s Day, organised a career guidance and motivation programme for female students at the St. Martin’s Senior High School.
The programme, which gave the girls an inspirational taste of career opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), witnessed about 300 young women students partake in the session.
The girls were excited with the solutions and answers offered them by the Voltic team in relation to all questions they had, ranging from financial aid to career progression in STEM, and beyond the scope of medical school.
The Quality Assurance and Quality Controller at Voltic, Thelma Asiama, shared her experience on some of the challenges women face in pursuit of a career in STEM. “It is not easy, but you have to persevere, I have built my career in this field and so can you”, she said.
Taking her turn, Human Resources Business Partner at Voltic, Eunice Nyarko, talked about the wide range of opportunities available in STEM fields. She said: “There are countless opportunities within this space, all you have to do is to be determined”.
Expressing his appreciation to Voltic, the school’s Assistant Headmaster (Academics), Mensah-Aborampa Ayim said: “We are grateful for this opportunity to share first-hand experiences with our female students. I believe this will guide them in making informed career choices”.
According to a recent article published by the World Bank, just 30 percent of science professionals in Sub-Saharan Africa are women, and this needs to change for the continent to develop to its full potential.
“In an age of increasing digitalisation, climate change concerns and health crises such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the critical importance of scientific and technological capacity is more evident than ever. Individuals with advanced skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are crucial to push us to new frontiers as well as tackle urgent challenges. However, the potential of one group has been consistently under-harnessed in this regard,” the quality control manager added.
Believing that women are critical to Africa’s shared success, Voltic (GH) Limited – a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa – has supported the career development of women in STEM fields.
Earlier this year, Voltic joined the non-profit organisation, Girls in Science and Technology (GIST), to launch the GIST- University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa chapter.
The programme introduces GIST to woman students at the university and promotes their participation in STEM, while sparking their interest in the endless career opportunities available to them.
The programme also provides mentorship and guidance to girls from elementary school through to various universities.
Meanwhile, school girls in Takoradi got a taste of a future in science and technology when they took part in a robotics training session sponsored by Voltic last year. The 64 girls between ages 15 and 19 enjoyed a hands-on lesson in robot building aimed at inspiring them to pursue further studies and a career in the male-dominated STEM fields.
