Young women are being urged by Vodafone Ghana's Angela Mensah-Poku, Director of Digital and Commercial Operations, to apply their STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) skills to real-world issues.

On a panel discussing "The Status of Ghanaian Women" at the EVE project's inaugural meeting, Angela delivered these remarks.

Due to their lack of exposure to how technology is used in society, Angela noticed that the majority of job applicants lack practical skills.

“As young women in STEM, you must be pragmatic with the education you obtain,” she recommended in her submission. “Consider how you can apply the knowledge you have gained to address issues in society.

“In my field, for example, I am on the lookout for candidates who have experience with artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, robots, automation and digital marketing. So, while you are pursuing an education in physics, math or any other STEM discipline, you must consider how you will apply your knowledge in society.”

The director also said that organisations need to work together on making STEM knowledge practical.

She explained how Vodafone Ghana has led the way in this area by making a concerted effort to expose young women to the experience of working in a real company through internships.

She also said that the presence of women in leadership roles at Vodafone Ghana gives these young women “real-life examples and role models who show what can be done after getting an education”.

According to Angela, Vodafone Ghana’s efforts have paid-off thanks to initiatives like the Female Engineering Students Sponsorship Programme.

The programme is a key part of the telco’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

It works with top STEM schools to find the best female engineering graduates and help them become leaders in their fields.