On the 22nd of February 2023, PartnerAfrika-Projekt KNUST hosted a feedback session on the internship training enrolled by students in Kumasi at the RWESCK Auditorium.
PartnerAfrika-Projekt, partners from Arqum, and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) were at the feedback session.
Felix Nagl and Gina Ditzen, Consultants for Environment and Sustainability, Arqum from Germany, Thompson Appam Attebila, Ashanti, Bono East, and Ahafo Regional Manager, AGI, Daniel Ebo Gyando, Executive Member, AGI with the Partner Afrika Projekt KNUST team, Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, Principal Investigator, Obeng Okofo Dartey, Project Manager, Mr. Kwadwo Nyantakyi Marfo, Internship Coordinator, Gifty Antoinette Hukpati, Communication Officer, Kasuadana Sulemana Adams, Administrative Manager, Innovation Center, and William Dadzie-Rhule, Innovation Center, attended the session.
In his welcome address, Prof. Jerry John Kponyo stated that he is pleased to see the students return from their internship training with the industry. He noted that the greatest asset of any organization is its people, and he recognized the invaluable contribution of PartnerAfrika-Projekt's partners and staff, as well as their hard work and contribution to the project's success.
He intimated that it is always important to receive feedback because the input can be tweaked for a better output based on the feedback received. He made known that the students had received training and had been placed in industries for internships and stated that the goal of the feedback session was to listen to their industry experience and lessons learned. He encouraged students to provide honest and open feedback because it would help the project meet its goals.
Felix Nagl, Consultant for Environment and Sustainability at Arqum in Germany, stated in his address that the internship opportunities provided to students are intended to provide them with new knowledge and hands-on skills from the industry that will aid them in their engineering education and training. He encouraged students to share their positive and negative experiences, as this will assist the project and its partners in revising and improve the project terms.
The AGI team congratulated interns on completing a successful internship phase and stated that students performed exceptionally well. They assured participants that many other companies would be engaged for increased intern intake.
The internship Coordinator, Mr. Kwadwo Nyantakyi Marfo, stated that the College of Engineering prioritizes entrepreneurship and innovation, which is why internship training with industry is critical in students' engineering education. He said internships help students identify industrial and real-life problems and provide insight into how to solve them. He announced that the Provost of the College of Engineering had approved the expansion of the current innovation center into an innovation lane.
Twenty-eight (28) students attended the feedback session and took turns providing feedback and sharing their experiences at their various internship companies. Students mentioned having an incredible internship experience and acquiring stress and time management skills. They said training sessions were comprehensive and rich in content and would wish for it to be done outside lecture hours not to affect students’ lectures.
Emmanuel Adu-Nti, Quality Assurance Manager at Vester Oil Mills, admonished that student should broaden their horizons beyond a single field. Internships, according to him, provide exposure and aid in developing long-term relationships. "It depends on the individual; working in the industry can be interesting and enjoyable," he said.
