BRCTF 2026: ‘Engage, mentor and hire them’ – Dr. Apaak challenges employers on digital jobs

The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has challenged employers to play a more active role in developing Ghana’s digital workforce by engaging young talent, providing mentorship and offering internships and employment opportunities to capable candidates.

Dr. Apaak said industry players must work more closely with education providers to ensure that young people acquire skills relevant to the changing needs of the economy.

He made the call at the 2026 Break the Code: Capture the Flag (BRCTF) event, held at Kobi’s Event Centre in East Legon, Accra, on Thursday, October 22.

Addressing participants under the theme “Education for the Digital Economy: From Classroom to Global Jobs,” Dr. Apaak said employers should contribute to discussions about the skills required in the workplace before students complete their education.

“Education providers cannot determine the future skills landscape alone. We need employers to tell us what roles are emerging, what skills are hard to find, what certifications matter, where graduates struggle, and what would make them willing to employ a young Ghanaian with digital skills,” he said.

He called on businesses to provide practical exposure through internships, mentorship, technical challenges and opportunities for young people to work alongside experienced professionals.

Dr. Apaak said these interventions could help bridge the gap between education and employment, particularly for young people seeking to enter technology-related fields.

“So, I challenge the employers here today: do not simply attend. Engage the talent. Meet them. Test them. Mentor them. Where possible, offer internships, and where they show capability, give them their first opportunity. Every experienced professional was once inexperienced. Someone gave them a beginning,” he said.

Dr. Apaak said the digital economy was creating opportunities for skilled Ghanaians to work with organisations around the world without necessarily relocating from their communities.

He noted that professionals in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast, Takoradi and Ho could increasingly contribute to organisations anywhere in the world.

However, he cautioned that technical knowledge alone would not guarantee success in international workplaces.

“Global digital work requires more than technical ability. It requires professional communication, reliability, discipline, teamwork, ethical behaviour, time management, continuous learning, and the ability to work across cultures and time zones,” he said.

Dr. Apaak also called for greater participation of young women and girls in technology, urging stakeholders to provide mentorship, role models, access to devices, safe learning environments and opportunities to gain industry experience.

He said employers had an important role in ensuring that young women with digital skills were recruited, supported and developed.

Dr. Apaak said BRCTF, which provides young people with a platform to demonstrate practical cybersecurity skills, should become part of a broader process that connects talent to employment and entrepreneurship.

He urged organisers to develop systems for tracking participants after the event to determine whether they secure internships, enter employment, establish businesses or generate income.

The Deputy Minister said stronger collaboration between education providers and industry would help Ghana prepare young people for emerging jobs and improve the transition from training to work.