By Frank Kwame Abbor
Ho (V/R), March 18, GNA – Stakeholders at a career fair in Ho have urged students to embrace creative arts and event planning as viable and rewarding career paths.
The event, held at Sonrise Christian High School, brought together professionals, parents, and educators to provide guidance on career choices. It focused on addressing long-standing misconceptions about Visual Arts while highlighting opportunities within the creative industry.
Madam Estella Emefa Gyasi-Hasford, Chief Executive Officer of Stellar Surge Event Planner and Creative, challenged the perception that students who study Visual Arts lack academic ability.
“It is not true that those who study visual arts do not know anything; they are shaping the world through creativity and innovation,” she stated.
She explained that an event planner is a professional responsible for conceptualising, organising, and coordinating all aspects of an event—from planning to execution and post-event evaluation. According to her, event planners bring together specialised professionals such as photographers, graphic designers, and vendors to ensure the success of events.
“We handle everything from the inception of the idea to the final execution and evaluation of the event,” she added.
Madam Gyasi-Hasford noted that the profession requires strong organisational, communication, and problem-solving skills to deliver quality outcomes.
She described an education fair as a platform where students interact with professionals and institutions to gain insight into academic and career opportunities. Such fairs, she said, offer advantages including exposure to multiple career paths, access to mentorship, and improved decision-making among students.
However, she noted that education fairs could also present challenges such as information overload and limited time for detailed engagement with professionals.
Touching on sustainability, Madam Gyasi-Hasford described event planning as a growing entrepreneurial field, noting that events are part of everyday life.
“There is always an event—birthdays, weddings, graduations, and even funerals—so the demand for planners will always exist,” she said.
Mr. Joseph Dzamesi, Administrator of the school, said the fair was organised to correct misconceptions and guide students towards informed career choices.
“Gone are the days when creative arts were undervalued; today, they are central to every industry,” he noted.
He added that misconceptions about the programme persist, as some students enter Visual Arts thinking it is less demanding, only to realise it requires creativity, technical skills, and critical thinking.
Students pursuing Visual Arts at the SHS level study subjects such as General Knowledge in Art (GKA), Graphic Design, Ceramics, Sculpture, Textiles, and Leatherwork.
He explained that under the new curriculum, these subjects have been restructured into Arts and Design Foundation, which covers the basic principles of art, and Arts and Design Studio, which focuses on practical work such as painting, sculpture, and textiles.
Students choose Visual Arts due to passion, career prospects, proper guidance, and, in some cases, misconceptions; however, it remains a highly valuable, skill-based field.
Madam Lawrencia Golo, a parent, said the programme had changed her perspective, admitting she previously pushed her daughter towards medicine despite her interest in creative arts.
She emphasised that with proper guidance and mentorship, students could pursue their passions and still achieve success.
Participants recommended the inclusion of entrepreneurship and project management in senior high school curricula, the expansion of career guidance programmes, and stronger collaboration between schools and industry professionals.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu