Engineering Education in Ghana: Innovative Pedagogy and Curriculum for Career Equitability

This abstracts serves as a concise overview to be followed by a full-length paper. The disparity in number between male and female engineering students in Ghana has been well studied, revealing that female engineering students constitute less than 30% of all engineering students in most college-level institutions in Ghana. The long-term effects of this inequality on career success have however not been adequately investigated. The hypothesis presented herein suggests that the underrepresentation of women in engineering programs in Ghana may translate into fewer job opportunities and lower confidence levels among female graduates in pursuing and sustaining long-term careers within the industry. Comprehensive surveys will be conducted among male and female engineering students currently studying engineering in various college-level institutions in Ghana as well as graduates of engineering programs. The surveys will include questions regarding overall satisfaction with engineering program, internship/co-op opportunities during school as well as observed and anticipated job prospects in the engineering industry in Ghana. Preliminary findings gathered align with the already observed trend of gender disparity in enrolment and graduation, and subsequent analyses will provide more insights into how that correlates with career opportunities post-graduation. This study aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on gender equity in engineering education in Ghana. Insights derived from this study could inform educators on innovative pedagogical strategies and curriculum developments aimed at fostering career equitability and inspire a more diverse and resilient workforce within the Ghanaian engineering industry.