Unlocking the Potential of Sub-Saharan Africa's Growing Labor Force

Unlocking the Potential of Sub-Saharan Africa's Growing Labor Force

by Bridget Boakye · Inspiration

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 · 3 minute read

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How? 

By prioritizing the need for a skilled and advancing labor force. 

A Changing Tide 

Traditionally, Sub-Saharan Africa has been characterized as land and
resource abundant, but labor scarce. For decades, the region’s
development agenda has been mired in the belief and burden of the
resource curse. 

But recent projections show that from 2000 to 2050, Africa’s
population will rise by 160%, turning most countries in the region into
labor-abundant economies. This demographic change has new and important
implications for the region’s development dynamics and comparative
advantage. 

With the rising human population, advancing human capital is fundamental to the continent’s economic advancement. The confluence of rapid technological change and globalization means skill development is imperative for countries seeking to close the development gap and become economically competitive (OECD). 

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It is for this reason that the work of capacity builders in Africa is
of dire importance to the continent’s economic and social advancement.
The work that pioneering capacity builders, such as Stars From All
Nations (SFAN) in Ghana, do, is essential to achieving all development
outcomes in the country because, without ready and available skilled
labor, companies and organizations cannot grow and deliver on their
missions and goals. 

Quantum Leap Career Fair 2017 Panel 

Stars From All Nations (SFAN)
is a social enterprise on a mission to provide education to
employment/entrepreneurship pipeline opportunities for youths in Ghana
and beyond. 

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One of its hallmark events is its yearly Quantum Leap Career Fair
where the company brings together business leaders, HR experts,
entrepreneurs, and hundreds of candidates to discuss the next phase of
work and skill development on the continent. 

At this year’s Quantum Leap Career Fair, held at the British Council Ghana, business leaders such as Lucy Quist,
Chief Executive Officer at Airtel Ghana, joined about 300 participants
in thinking through the future of work on the continent. 

The event, aptly named Technology and the Future of Work in Africa,
hosted a panel session with Yasmin Kumi, Founder at Africa Foresight
Group ; Paul Payne, Manager at the British Council Skills Hub; Josiah Kwesi-Eyison, Co-founder at iSpace; Amma Baffoe, Recruitment Manager at MEST, 

Genevieve Puni, Founder at Rectrain Limited; and Jemila Abdulai,
Founder at Circumspecte. The panel session was followed by a one-on-one
mentoring session where candidates had the opportunity to talk to
resource personnel about their resumes, career interests, enterprise
ideas, and job opportunities. 

How To Quantum Leap 

Conversations during the day revealed that Africans do not only have a
responsibility but a unique opportunity to solve both local and global
problems. In fact, Africans today are in a unique and unprecedented
position: with modern advances in technology and access to the global
market (the proliferation of mobile phones, social media, tech tools),
there has never been a better time to join the global movement and ride
the proverbial technological wave.

Finally, the veil of fear and ignorance that has long separated the
continent from the rest of the world is lifting, as worlds and people
connect through various social platforms. 

But while technology brings new opportunities to connect and new
employment and business opportunities, young Africans must also build
and work for businesses that address local issues that have long plagued
and continue to plague our communities and dim progress: high
illiteracy, poverty, low health outcomes, food insecurity, and
inequality. 

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The good news? 

History shows that in the long term, “investing in skills development
is far less costly than paying the price for poorer health, lower
incomes, unemployment, and social exclusion — all which are closely tied
to lower skills” (OECD). 

Meaning, skills development allows us to make the quantum leap to a
more prosperous Africa because it inherently addresses many of the
issues that the continent faces. 

The future of Africa is finally here! Both labor and resource-rich,
generations of future Africans can enjoy a better quality of life if
institutions, capacity builders, and businesses work together to bring
more skilled and knowledgeable founders and workers who will address the
issues of today and tomorrow to the market.   

Join thousands of young Africans launching their careers.

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