Ghana Digital Centres Limited (GDCL) are set to announce the launch of the Tertiary Digital Innovation Program (TDIP), aimed at equipping tertiary graduates with the knowledge, skills, and tools to transition from school to industry in response to the growing youth unemployment in Ghana. This is with support from Make-IT in Africa, a programme implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmBH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Corporation and Development (BMZ).
The Tertiary Digital Innovation Program (TDIP) is an initiative of the GDCL designed to foster digital innovation and entrepreneurship by providing support for tertiary students/recent graduates to grow technology-driven projects /research works into innovative startups and solutions that addresses national developmental challenges.
Honourable Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, CEO for the Ghana Digital Centres Limited in his remarksindicated that as a company owned by the Ministry of Communication, GDCL is positioned to bridge the gap between academia and industry towards digital skills development and job creation and is thus pleased to partner with GIZ to make the TDIP an important program in Ghana’s digital innovation ecosystem.
The program will select and onboard graduates, who at the point of completion from the participating Universities, have developed a concept for a technology startup which they have the desire to pursue with the needed support.
To be eligible for the program, participant must be a final year student or a recent graduate of (University of Ghana (UG), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana Communication and Technology University (GCTU) or Academic City University College (AUCC). Applicants must also have a concept/idea for a digital/technology or a tech enabled startup that has the potential to contribute to the SDGs and have 2-3 co-founders with a passion to develop their idea. For more info on the selection, visit the GDCL website to learn more.
Successful applicants will be formally onboarded by the Ghana Digital Centres Limited to enable them develop their innovations during the mandatory National Service period. Thereafter, innovators will be provided with an additional six-months of supportto further assist with the development of their businesses. To ensure inclusivity, the program will target at least 30% female participation, with a preference for all-females and female-led teams.
The Tertiary Digital Innovation Program will run over an 18-month period, helping participants build viable business models, product prototypes, market testing and a full launch plan.
