In partnership with global brands including Google, Microsoft and Cisco, the venture is to reduce the unemployment rate in the country by enriching the technological and business skills of the youth to meet growing labour market demands.

With the World Bank estimating that more than 110,000 youth graduating from universities and about only 12 per cent of that number getting employed, FIRE noted that it was critical for stakeholders to contribute to reduce the unemployment situation in Ghana.

Mr Emil Acolatse, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FIRE, told the Ghana News Agency that the partnership was providing access to information, resources and relationship to young professionals to be employment-ready and economically self-reliant.

FIRE is providing skills training and development in technology, business, arts, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and digital education to the youth and will connect them to business and employment opportunities in Ghana and elsewhere.

“We’re investing in the business ideas of the Ghanaian youth, which is essential to producing successful young people for national development. With their business plan, we give them the right incentive to propel.

“We are also creating a database with our partners and this profile allows us to send jobs that we know have high linkages with business organisations and make the youth work in any part of the world while here in Ghana,” Mr Acolatse said.

Speaking about a two-day business and technology pitch competition as part of efforts to create jobs for the youth, Mr Acolatse said the move is to enable them to produce a company and assist them with their business plan, funds, and other incentives to thrive.

“We are just not here to do it this year. This is a consistent thing. It is the first edition and each year, we are going to get bigger and better to help solve the unemployment situation in Ghana,” the FIRE CEO said.

Winners of the “Ghana to the moon” business and technology pitch, were given $1000 to start their business, including technical support from a team of experts from FIRE.

Ms Martha Enyonam Tamakloe, a participant in the conference, told GNA that the platform had enriched her mental capacity to pursue what she desired in life.

“With the training received, I have been empowered to move beyond the setbacks that the youth often face with family, friends and society when you are ambitious and want to do something on your own,” she said.