At EWIA, we attach great importance to the area of education and training, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals 4 ("Quality education") and 8 ("Decent work and economic growth"). A well-trained labour force is key to the economic development of sub-Saharan Africa, which is why we are always happy to have interns.
When the TUM S.E.E.D. Center, a research centre of the Technical University of Munich (S.E.E.D., the seed, stands for Sustainable Energies, Entrepreneurship, and Development in the Global South), held its conference in Kumasi, Ghana last year, we contacted the Stern Stewart Institute, which was also represented there.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Susanne Pertl, this think tank founded the Burkina Institute of Technology (BIT) in Koudougou in 2018. Koudougou is the name of a city and a department in Ghana's neighbouring country Burkina Faso, capital of the Centre-Ouest region and the province of Boulkiemdé, located 75 km west of the capital Ouagadougou.
"BIT" is an apt acronym in view of the fact that it offers interdisciplinary degree programmes with a focus on computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering with the aim of training future generations of young managers and professionals in Burkina Faso. In the first year, 30 students were accepted into the pioneering class, now there are over 400 and soon over 1,000 students are expected to attend the BIT.
The list of BIT partners is extremely impressive: Cisco, edX, SAP, Schloss Elmau Luxury Spa Retreat & Cultural Hideaway, Siemens, Temasek, of course UnternehmerTUM, the Kumasi-based Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and many more provide expertise and resources.
We really liked the idea of cross-border cooperation. We already have two interns thanks to this programme and the BIT, namely
Moussa Ndiaye Yaméogo, who graduated as an electrical engineer after three years of studying at the Burkina Institute of Technology, joined us in March to put his theoretical knowledge into practice. The young football enthusiast with programming skills had already been working in solar installation for three years. We are delighted that we were able to contribute to Moussa's development and thank him for his commitment!
Moussa recently handed over the baton, so to speak, to his fellow student
Nafissatou Bientakwoni - Nafissa for short - will be joining our team from the end of June to the end of August. The 24-year-old also attends the BIT in Koudougou, is currently completing her Bachelor of Sciences in Electrical Engineering and specialises in the field of renewable energies. After her internship at EWIA, she will begin her Master's degree programme. Nafissa will be staying at our Corporate House premises for the duration.
We warmly welcome our new intern and look forward to working with her. Bienvenue chez EWIA, Nafissa! Because yes, the official language in Burkina Faso is French, so like Moussa she will also benefit from perfecting her English skills in Ghana. Welcome!
Comments