Nearly 1,000 students from the University of Education, Winneba, and senior high schools across the Central Region gathered for the third edition of the annual Skills Summit, an event designed to prepare young people for the demands of the modern economy.  

Organised by the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI) in partnership with the University’s Department of Mathematics and ICT Club, the 2026 summit carried the theme “The Skills Economy: Resilient Skills, Bold Futures.”  

The programme featured hands-on training in coding, programming, digital marketing, data analysis, graphic design, and artificial intelligence prototyping skills organisers project are essential for navigating a rapidly changing job market in Ghana and beyond. 

Dr Akroful Sam, Dean of Science and chairman of the occasion, urged students to look beyond their formal curriculum. “Master at least 10 globally sought-after software skills,” he advised, noting that such expertise would provide a competitive edge in the workplace.  

Echoing that call, Dr Sylvesyor Frimpong Ali, Head of the Mathematics Department, emphasized the importance of STEM education. 

“The problems out there will be fixed by people with a background in STEM,” he said, encouraging parents and students to be deliberate in choosing Science and Technology, Engineering, Mathematics programs at the senior high level to give them an advantage in career.

ILAPI’s Vice President for Institutional Affairs, Ebenezer De-Gaulle, introduced the think tank’s latest project, Next of Kin, which explores the structures needed to ensure the smooth transfer of prosperity across generations. He invited students to participate in an essay competition tied to the initiative. “Everyone is a next of kin, or knows someone who is,” he said. “It is important we get the structures right to ensure smooth transfer of wealth ”  

Mr De-Gaulle also appealed for broader partnerships to sustain the summit, highlighting its impact on students. He challenged participants to confront poverty by monetising their skills to solve everyday problems in their communities.  

The Skills Summit, now in its third year, has become a fixture in UEW's academic calendar, blending practical training with policy dialogue. 

Organisers say its mission is clear: to equip young people with the tools to thrive in an economy where resilience and innovation are paramount.