Employability: Systems Change Programme

essa

Employability: Systems Change Programme

The Systems Change Programme (SCP) was an 18-month systems transformation process that aimed to develop the components and structures of key systems that influence outcomes in higher education institutions (HEIs). The programme identified HEIs as change champions, provided expert training and mentoring, and funds them to improve and develop new systems within their institutions.

The programme was led by The Education Collaborative (Ashesi University in Ghana) and Kepler (Rwanda) and ran from October 2021 to May 2023. It aimed to improve student employability at selected universities by strengthening career services systems. Strathmore University, Kepler University, Ashesi University, Burkina Institute of Technology, University of Cape Coast, Accra Technical University, Rwanda Polytechnic, and IPRC Gishari were the collaborators in this programme.

ESSA supported the programme by providing evidence and data for universities and colleges that will help them to strengthen partnerships with employers in order to develop student's employability skills.


Highlights

  • We identified critical barriers to increase employability. These barriers include; limited data, measures and standards on employability, required to guide strategies and practices within institutions, among others.

  • We also synthesised evidence from the African Education Research Database (AERD), of strategies to enhance youth employability in sub-Saharan Africa and identify recommendations for universities, colleges and employers.

  • On 20th April 2022, ESSA hosted an in-person and virtual Industry Roundtable. We shared findings from research that has been undertaken with The Education Collaborative at Ashesi University, including insights from interviews with industry and Higher, Education Institutions (HEIs) in Ghana, Rwanda and Burkina Faso. We also facilitated structured discussions between employers and HEIs on the requirements and priorities for productive engagement and partnership.

  • Building on the first event, we hosted a second Industry Roundtable on 27th June 2023. This second roundtable broadened the conversation by bringing together employers, including chief executive officers, human resource partners, and higher education leaders with the aim of closing the skills gap and enhancing the employability of young people in sub-Saharan Africa.

  • As part of the second roundtable event, we launched a new report, ‘What Next? Enhancing African Students' Transition to Employment through Effective Career Services,’ which was researched in partnership with The Education Collaborative (Ashesi University, Ghana) and Kepler (Rwanda).

Partners

Ashesi
Ashesi

Ashesi is increasingly recognised as one of the finest universities in Africa, with an educational experience proven to prepare students for successful lives and careers.

Ashesi has partnered with ESSA through ESSA’s paid internships for African students, giving them the opportunity to fully take part in a number of educational projects.

Ashesi

Kepler
Kepler

Kepler empowers young people with 21st-century training and new pathways to employment through degrees, upskilling and refugee preparation programmes.

ESSA is collaborating with Kepler in Rwanda to implement the systems change programme.

Kepler

The Education Collaborative
The Education Collaborative

In 2017, Ashesi University started the Education Collaborative initiative. The initiative leads a collaborative of Higher Learning Institutions in Africa to collectively and sustainably raise the bar for higher education outcomes. 

Education Collaborative