Out of the number, 12 were conferred with Master of Science in Information Technology (IT) certificates; 46 were conferred with Bach­elor of Science and Arts in IT certificates while 12 were conferred with Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and Journal­ism certificates.

Nine were conferred with Bachelor of Science in Fashion and Design certificates while the remaining 36 students received certificates from the School of Business.

The Congregation was held on the theme “The Role of Higher Education in Creating Employment Opportunity for the Youth”.

The Rector of the University College, Dr Sujith Jayaprakash, said there was the need for educational institutions to change its curriculum to suit current trends on the global market in order to produce job-driv­en graduates.

He said that was due to the fact that on the average, 11 million people joined the African labour market each year and yet the continent generated only 3.7 million jobs annually.

Dr Jayaprakash said it was for that reason the college had developed educational philosophies that supported the develop­ment of the lateral thinking of students by nurturing them to become pillars of economies.

“Our decision to offer programmes in journalism, fashion, technology and busi­ness has ultimately assisted us in attaining this height,” he added.

Dr Jayaprakash noted that the institution had ambitions to offer courses in data sci­ence, cyber security, block chain, sustainable fashion, creative economy, digital journal­ism, among others in subsequent years.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Klottey Korle Constituency in Accra, Dr Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings, who was the guest speaker, reiterated the need for the graduates to be creative thinkers.

She emphasised that there were opportu­nities in other areas, such as cybersecurity, which graduates could explore.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings also underscored the need for graduates to form teams to leverage each other’s strengths, adding that “being able to understand your strength and the strength of other people in teams is key as well.”

She, therefore, used the opportunity to urge the graduates to uphold the ethics, values and principles they believed in as they sought to gain employment in order to stand out and make a difference.

Ms Lady Pearl Akpokli, the best grad­uating student, in her valedictory speech, recounted some of the memorable mo­ments shared during their four-year stay in the college.

She also highlighted some of the chal­lenges encountered, which included the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and how those challenges spurred them to put in their best and finish hard.

Ms Akpokli urged her colleagues to im­pact the world with the knowledge acquired from the institute.

Aside Ms Akpokli, Mr Obed Adu, Ms Brunelle Popa Tcheyi, Mr Enoch Doe Se­mana and Ms Hilda Emeruwa Ngozi were adjudged best students from the school of Information Technology (IT), Business Administration, Mass Communication and Journalism and Fashion and Design respectively.