Career Summit 2023 ’Unlocking Pathways to Career Excellence’

On October 20-24, the Career Summit 2023 ‘Unlocking Pathways to Career Excellence’ took place as an online event, powered by the DAAD Lecturer Programme and Mozisha, organized by Ruth Knoblich, DAAD lecturer in development research at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Cape Town, and Dr. Kene Ikebuaku, DAAD alumnus of the South African-German Centre for Development Research at UWC.

It was already the third event in a series of ‘employability workshops’ aiming at offering support in career pathfinding and building up networks within the African continent, over to Germany/Europe and beyond, that help to close the gap between academia and the job world. Key element of the series is to connect existing structures – and particularly the DAAD structures via alumni who are established in the world of work – with young followers. We are grateful to the DAAD’s financial support by the DAAD Lecturer Programme which allows us to establish this series.

The speeches and discussions of the first two days of the event can still be watched via Youtube:

Day 1: Friday (20/10/23)

2:00-2:20 PM ~ Introduction

Speakers: Kene Ikebuaku, Ruth Knoblich and Gudrun Chazotte

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0SDroNaaGE

2:20-3:00 PM: Learning from a Career Journey

Speaker: Sola Osinoiki

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3s4QALjjYk

3:00-3:45 PM ~ Career and Professional Development Opportunities in Europe and Asia

Speakers: Dambisa Dube and Lorene Mayoma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QttakQaAivE

3:45-4:20 PM ~ Make it in Germany – The new Skilled Immigration Act

Speaker: Philipp Liesbrock

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QsjpmfO9QI

4:20-4:30 PM ~ Break
4:30-6:30 PM ~ Thriving in the International Development Sector

Speakers: Davidson Muchadenyika, Faustine Wabwire, Winnie Sambu and Qamer Jatoi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuHop03EUkE

Day 2: Saturday (21/10/23)

11:30-13:00 PM ~ Tackling Africa’s Challenges through Entrepreneurship

Speakers: Kene Ikebuaku, Atherthon Mutombwera and Gilbert Anyetei

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgjorVw40lw

13:00-13:30 PM ~ Break
13:30-14:00 PM ~ Exploring the future of work in the age of artificial intelligence

Speaker: Paul Amayo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LlXrSwKpEM

14:00-15:00 PM ~ Crafting Compelling Profiles: CV and LinkedIn Workshop

Speaker: Ephraim Dafiagbor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0dKFNQkMiQ

Day 3: Monday (23/10/23): 09:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Personalized CVs and Linkedin profiles review. Reserved only for 30 selected participants

Day 4: Tuesday (24/10/23): 09:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Continuation of CVs and LinkedIn profiles reviews

The event has been a great success. Participants appreciated the insightful presentations and discussions. Between 150 and 190 participants joined on the first day, a Friday, around 90 on the second day, which was a Saturday. 30 participants had then the opportunity of an individual feedback session with an expert during the following week. An intermediate short-evaluation (with 111 replies in the poll) showed that 60% of the participants were DAAD-Scholarshipholders or DAAD-Alumni. Three quarters of the participants joined from different African countries, the majority of the fourth quarter joined from Germany.

We are looking at further exciting events in this series to come.

– Ruth Knoblich