CCTU admits first batch of postgraduate students after 40 years

The Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU) has officially admitted its first batch of postgraduates for its new Master of Technology in Construction and Management programme after 40 years of providing technical education.The school concurrently admitted its second batch of postgraduate students, numbering eight, for its Master of Technology in Civil Engineering programme at a brief ceremony at the university's premises.The postgraduates, 29 in all are all men.Professor Kwaku Adutwum Ayim Boakye, Vice Chancellor of the university, indicated that the feat was a testament to the institution's sustained progress and advancement in the fields of construction technology and management, and civil engineering.He noted that the programmes had been designed to equip the students with the relevant contemporary knowledge, skills, and expertise through a combination of rigorous coursework, practical training, and real-world experiences.He admitted that there was stiff competition from other institutions as the programmes were not new in Ghana and acknowledged the need to introduce unique knowledge and skill sets to set their students apart on the job market and as entrepreneurs.He, therefore, charged the academic directors of the programmes to infuse soft skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity into the curriculum to make the students competitive.Prof Boakye said the postgraduate students were considered the primary source of expertise for future academic positions in CCTU and should therefore adopt an entirely different mindset.He encouraged them to embrace every opportunity for growth, challenge themselves to reach new heights, and keep focused on their goals and aspirations.He cautioned that postgraduate training was not just an upgrade of undergraduate work but a transformational experience to refine their thought process and value system.'Seeing postgraduate as merely a higher level of undergraduate academic work is therefore not only narrow but mediocre.'We th erefore expect you to be well-rounded not only in your academic work but in your social relations, diplomacy, your dressing, your values, your speech and thought patterns. You must set yourselves as apart as a special breed of students,' he said.The Vice Chancellor assured the students of a supportive and inclusive system which would guide, mentor, and empower them every step of the way to ensure they excelled academically, professionally, and personally.Some of the students shared their reasons for enrolling on the programme with the Ghana News Agency.Mr Gabriel Nyope, Master of Technology in Construction and Management student, explained that he signed up for the postgraduate programme to enhance his employability after several failed attempts to find job after school.'My motive is to become a lecturer in this school because this is my Alma Mater and so I wish to learn and prepare so that when there is any opportunity, I can be picked,' he said.Source: Ghana News Agency