Third-year students of the Department of Construction Technology and Management at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have undertaken a field trip to the Akosombo Dam to gain practical exposure in power generation and building utility systems.
The field trip coordinator, Dr. Godwin Kojo Kumi Acquah, explained that the field trip was intended to help students understand the entire electricity supply process to better integrate electrical systems into the buildings they design and construct.
“There’s a course they take, Design and Installation of Building Services. As part of the course, they study electricity, water, and air-conditioning systems. In treating electricity, it’s not just about the final product they see, they also need to know where the electricity starts from,” he said.
He further highlighted the need for students to understand electricity production and transmission to effectively plan building electrical systems.
“They should have a basic understanding of how it is generated, how it is transmitted, and how it reaches homes so they can match it to the devices they are installing in buildings,” he added.
Through direct engagement with the facilities, students gained first-hand insight into power generation processes, operational systems, and transmission infrastructure, while identifying practical challenges that could inform the installation of electrical systems.
A student, Emmanuel Yeboah, said the trip allowed her to better understand and visualize concepts that had previously been abstract in classroom lectures.
“Some of the things taught in the lecture hall are hard to picture, but since coming here, I’ve learned a lot,” she said.
Another student, Dennis Egyire, stated that the trip provided him with a direct view of how processes work.
“We got to experience how everything is done, and it’s been very nice seeing it in person,” he said.
Augustus Davis, a student in Quantity Surveying, said the experience gave him practical insights in electricity generation.
“We learned how electricity is produced. It has been a very enlightening field trip, and we hope to have more experiences like this,” he said.
