Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang Secures Spots for Energy Sector Women Engineers — In a significant move to empower women into male dominated fields, the Shenzhen Energy Group has committed to providing specialized training for Ghanaian women engineers in the energy sector at its facilities in China.
This breakthrough commitment was achieved at the request of Ghana‘s Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang at a high-level meeting between her on behalf of the President and a delegation from the Shenzhen Energy Group.
Although the discusions centered on the expansion of Sunon Asogli, operated by the Shenzhen Group, and the fostering of stronger bilateral relations between Ghana and China, the first woman Vice President of the country made a passionate case for prioritizing capacity-building programs for local engineers, particularly women in the sector.
In her view, women in the male dominated fields often face systemic challenges hence the need for a push from stakeholders.
Announcing the outcome of the meeting on her social media handles, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang indicated that “we discussed the critical need for training and, where necessary, retraining local staff to enhance capacity and efficiency at facilities such as the Energy Groups in our country.”
“I placed emphasis on supporting women engineers in the energy sector. By the end of the meeting, the delegation from China had agreed with my suggestion to select some women engineers for training in their facilities in China,” she added.
This initiative is expected to equip Ghanaian women engineers in the energy sector with cutting-edge technical expertise, positioning them to take on leadership roles in the industry.
The training will focus on advanced energy technologies, plant operations, and sustainable energy management, among other critical areas.
The Shenzhen Energy Group’s commitment aligns with Ghana’s broader push for gender inclusivity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields.
With the increasing demand for skilled labor in Ghana’s energy sector, this initiative could mark a turning point for female participation in energy production and management.