The Guidance and Counselling Centre (GCC) of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) has organised an orientation and training workshop to equip academic counsellors of the University with contemporary skills for effective guidance, mentorship, and student support.

About 70 Academic Counsellors attended the training under the theme ‘Empowering Academic Counsellors for Effective Counselling.’ It focused specifically on Communication Skills and Counselling Techniques; Referral Procedures; Report Writing in Counselling; and Addressing 21st Century Challenges of University Students.

Opening the training on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of AAMUSTED, Prof. Frederick K. Sarfo, the Director of Public Affairs, Mr. Michael Kofi Twum-Ampomah, commended the GCC for the initiative, emphasising the need for counsellors to adapt to the rapidly changing dynamics of student behaviour and development in the 21st century.

Guidance and Counselling, in his view, is crucial in the duty of a university nurture human beings into competent human resource that address the needs of an evolving global community. He, thus, encouraged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity to learn so they can contribute meaningfully to addressing the needs of the tens of thousands of students that are enrolled in AAMUSTED.

The Head of the GCC, Mrs. Gertrude Effeh Brew, emphased that workshop was to raise awareness and provide relevant resources to the Academic Counsellors to effectively manage counselling sessions for the growing number of students in the University.

Additionally, she was hopeful that the workshop would create the needed supportive environment for participants to share their best practices and entreated participants to adopt effective communication skills to help them identify germane concerns of students, create soft spaces for effective dialogue, and connect students to the right resources.

One of the workshop facilitators, Dr. Theresa Dede Lawer, Senior Lecturer at AAMUSTED, advised the counsellors, among other things, to be mindful of actions and expressions like sitting posture, eye-contact, and facial expression during counselling sessions.  When counsellors express genuine empathy, she said they will earn clients’ trust and pave the way for a successful counselling.

Another Facilitator, Dr. Mrs. Grace Yeboah, Lecturer from KNUST, also encouraged the participants not to hesitate in referring students for further attention when their expertise or resources do not match the situation at hand. She appealed to the university management to establish a system of referral for cases involving finances of students such as payment of fees.

Another Senior Lecturer of AAMUSTED and facilitator, Mr. Samuel Kofi Assoah, addressing participants on report writing, encouraged participants to endeavour to meet their students right after orientation to help in familiarisation and pave way for achieving the intended goals of implementing academic counselling in the University.

The final facilitator, Rev. Kwame Nkrumah Hope, Lecturer, appealed to the participants to help in revealing the hidden riches in their assigned students by becoming their guide, mentor, and guardian and serve as the life-wire of AAMUSTED, transforming lives that meet the culture of discipline the society wants. The workshop was held on November 5, 2025.