By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Sumbrungu (U/E), July 23, GNA – The Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), has launched a new initiative dubbed, “DigiMarkt”, a digital marketing project, aimed at equipping students, academic staff, and industry players with cutting-edge skills in digital marketing.
The two-year project, co-funded by the European Union (EU), is designed to enhance Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Ghana.
It also seeks to empower youth, teachers, and industry professionals with practical digital competencies to meet the evolving demands of the job market.
At the launching ceremony held at BTU’s main campus at Sumbrungu, Dr Benjamin Asunka, the Project Coordinator, explained that the primary objectives of DigiMarkt were to build the capacity of TVET educators through new digital skillsets, enhance the employability of students, and establish a fully-equipped digital marketing laboratory.
Dr Asunka, who also heads BTU’s Department of Marketing and Communication, announced that a state-of-the-art digital marketing laboratory had already been set up on the BTU campus.
He said the laboratory included tools for e-commerce, content creation, and digital analytics, offering a hands-on learning environment for students, staff, and industry players.
“This facility will serve as a practical space where users can apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios,” he said, adding, “additionally, some BTU academic staff have already participated in ‘train-the-trainer’ programmes led by our EU partners. These sessions covered online pedagogy, emerging digital tools, and modern marketing strategies.”
Dr Asunka emphasized that the project was not limited to students and lecturers, but also targets industry professionals and encouraged businesses to send their staff for training to enhance their competitiveness in the digital landscape.
“The training is offered at no cost to students. However, participants are expected to apply their skills and submit progress reports on their digital marketing practices. With the high demand for digital marketers today across freelancing, agency work, or in-house roles, this project offers flexible and future-ready career paths,” he said.
As part of the broader implementation strategy, BTU is collaborating with Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) and the Cape Coast Technical University, aiming to co-develop and integrate digital marketing content into TVET curricula in Ghana.
“Academic experts will help contextualise global frameworks such as the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp) and the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp) for local use,” Dr. Asunka added.
Professor Peter Boamah, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of BTU, underscored the significance of digital marketing in modern education and employment and urged both students and faculty members to embrace the opportunity.
“In today’s digital economy, lacking digital marketing skills puts you at a disadvantage. Nations that have made remarkable progress did so by investing in technologies like this,” he stated.
Mr Richard Atia, the Acting Registrar of BTU, highlighted how the project aligned with the university’s mission to provide career-focused education supported by practical training, applying research, and entrepreneurship development.
This, he stressed, would help strengthen the university’s efforts to deliver relevant, skills-based education in a conducive learning environment.
Apart from BTU, the project is also being implemented at the AAMUSTED and Cape Coast Technical University and being supported by Steinbeis Beratungszentrum (Germany), the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra and INT@E.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Lydia Kukua Asamoah