The Managing Director (MD) of Hollard Insurance, Mr Daniel Boi Addo has urged students at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani in the Bono Region to embrace entrepreneurship and saving while in school so that they could start something on their own if they do not find jobs in the public or private sectors.
Mr. Daniel Boi Addo noted that with the increasing unemployment rate in the country, they need to arm themselves to create opportunities for themselves by thinking of entrepreneurship.
Mr. Addo made the appeal during this year’s Hollard X Academia Mentoring Day at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani.
The programme was under the theme: A Better Future, Getting Ready for the World of Work.
He also admonished the students not to see entrepreneurship as something for some selected students but they should embrace it and work on it as it has the potential to help them create jobs for themselves in the future.
“This is the best time to explain to them why they need an entrepreneurship mindset. There are too many people of my age who were taught or cultured to believe they have to go through university to finish and get a job, wear a tire and a white shirt and stay in an office. That is great, but that is not the only way to make a living, entrepreneurship is another way. Not all can be entrepreneurship, but definitely, some will embrace the idea.”
The Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Business Incubation at UENR, Reginald Djimatey, on his part urged the students to develop the habit of savings no matter how little the amount may be.
“Stop spending all the money on things that will not help you, but try and develop the habit of saving, no matter the amount. Some students can spend about 5,000 cedis to buy a phone, this is unnecessary.”
Professor Samuel Ofosu Gyasi, Dean of School of Sciences, who spoke on behalf of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources urged the students to make good use of the mentorship programme and also commended Hollard Insurance for initiating the programme.
“Young people who aspire to get stable jobs. The transition period from school to the job, takes on average about 19 months. More than 20,000 students every year go to find jobs that require degrees, yet they find none. The way forward is to find employment in the private sector, services, or become an entrepreneur. Therefore, promoting student entrepreneurship is the way to go. It will be a game changer.”
Richard Boahene, a BSc Mathematics student in an interview said, “I was not into savings but with the education, we have had today I will open a savings account to start savings because I was realized that there is a future.”