Delta Air Lines, in partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) Ghana, has organised the Delta Innovation Camp to empower the next generation of business leaders and workforce.

The one-day programme, held at the Academic City University College in Accra, was to provide a platform for young minds to show their creativity and learn design thinking.

It brought together 51 university students drawn from eleven schools in the country. The General Manager of Delta Air Lines, Eliona Baddo, emphasised her outfit’s commitment to building meaningful relationships and giving back to the country through initiatives such as the Delta Innovation Camp.

“We are shaping the future of Ghana’s socio-economic and sustainable development,” she said.

Partnership

The programme, organised in partnership with Junior Achievement Ghana (JA Ghana), a non-profit organisation, aimed to provide students with skills in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy.

The students were introduced to design thinking, a framework for solving problems and working in teams to develop solutions to a real challenge that can be faced in the community.

The Executive Director of JA Ghana, Abeiku Greene, highlighted the importance of programmes such as the Delta Innovation Camp in preparing young people for the workforce and the future of work.

"We are giving them the skills, experiences and opportunities to solve problems, work collaboratively and apply their creativity and innovation,” he said.

The Head of Technology and Entrepreneurship Centre of the Academy City University College, Makafui Awuku, stressed the importance of teaching design thinking early in education, even at the junior high school level to empower young people to create sustainable solutions to recurring problems in our communities.

“By incorporating design thinking into the curriculum, Ghana can nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs and problem-solvers equipped to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges” he added.

The students presented their solutions to a panel of judges and the winners were awarded prizes.  The programme also offered students the opportunity to become part of the JA alumni network, with access to further programmes and offerings.