By Frank Kwame Abbor, GNA
Ho, Oct. 3, GNA – Women in Engineering Ghana (WinE Ghana) has gathered students from 20 universities across the country for its fifth WinEAffair programme, to promote female participation in engineering innovation, entrepreneurship and professional development.
The event, held at the G.M. Afeti Auditorium of the Ho Technical University, was on the theme: “Engineering a Sustainable Future: Women Leading the Way.”
Ms Naki Tetteh-Anowie, the Chairperson of WinE Ghana, said the programme provided a platform for female engineering students to apply technical knowledge to practical societal challenges through innovation, prototype development and competition.
She said participants were encouraged to identify problems within their communities, develop creative solutions and present prototypes for assessment by judges, with three winning teams recognised.
“Whoever comes to the ground is a winner already because the person has found a solution to a problem facing society,” she said.
Ms Tetteh-Anowie said the programme also incorporated mentoring, career talks and professional development sessions to expose participants to industry experiences and equip them with the confidence and skills to thrive in their chosen fields.
She said WinE Ghana was not intended to exclude men from engineering but to encourage more women to enter the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, where female participation had historically been low.
“Men are major allies. We are not pushing them away; we are encouraging more women to come into the profession so that we can coexist and work together,” she said.
She urged females in Senior High School and prospective tertiary students to consider engineering, describing it as the practical application of scientific principles to everyday problems.
Ms Alberta Amankwa, the WinE Ghana Executive Lead for Mentoring, Coaching and Education, said WinEAffair was an inter-university engineering innovation and networking initiative created to strengthen students’ technical skills, confidence, creativity and collaboration.
She said the programme had expanded from its earlier editions to involve 20 universities, with participating students expected to develop solutions to environmental and other societal challenges.
Ms Amankwa said the initiative had also created opportunities for students to commercialise their innovations, rather than leave them unused after competitions.
She noted that the Ghana Institution of Engineering had supported the initiative, adding that projects from the previous edition were presented at its engineering conference, attracting interest from industry players and individuals.
“Most of the projects that won the awards are now being upscaled. They are being commercialised. We have started the processes, so they will not just end up on the shelves,” she said.
On the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ms Amankwa said students were being encouraged to use the technology as a tool to support innovation, noting that some projects would involve software applications and digital solutions.
She said AI remained dependent on human direction and creativity, and could assist students in developing practical solutions when applied responsibly.
A professional development session also emphasised that engineering leadership went beyond holding formal titles, urging young engineers to build technical competence, take responsibility, communicate ideas effectively and earn the confidence of colleagues through sound professional judgement.
The fifth edition of WinEAffair is expected to provide a platform for female engineering students to demonstrate their capabilities, strengthen professional networks and explore pathways to entrepreneurship and sustainable development.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo