Ghanaian youth are being empowered with the 21st skills needed to make them economically productive for job creation and employment which is the focus of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
The Head of Corporate Affairs at the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Mr. Albert Opare, who announced this explained that the empowerment was being done through the National Apprenticeship Policy which is being implemented by CTVET and will enhance apprenticeship in Ghana for better employability and productivity.
He made these remarks during a sensitization workshop organized at the Sunyani Technical University in the Bono Region last Wednesday.
“The government has put in policies that support the training of the right skills development for the 21st century needs of the job market and not the old system which would soon fade out of the job market”. Mr Opare said.
He stated that the ultimate aim of the TVET transformational agenda was to create jobs and provide the support industry needed.
Mandate of CTVET
Mr. Opare indicated that the mandate of the CTVET was to regulate, promote and administer TVET for transformation and innovation for sustainable development.
He explained further that CTVET as part of this mandate has designed an apprenticeship training programme which will provide free for about 50,000 master craftsmen and apprentices to upgrade their skills under the ongoing Ghana Jobs and Skills Project (GJSP) by the end of 2026.
Mr. Opare stated that the Ghana Jobs and Skills Project is a $200 million dollar Government of Ghana project which seeks to support skills development and job creation across the country through apprenticeship training for jobs, entrepreneurship and small enterprise support, and operationalization of Ghana Labour Market Information System.
Job creation prospect
The Head of Corporate Affairs said the GJSP would provide at least 199,500 to 252,000 jobs and the US $200 million was raised through a financing agreement between the Government of Ghana and the International Development Association (IDA)/ World Bank Group.
He mentioned that Component One of the programme, involved apprenticeship training for jobs while Component Two comprised the provision of entrepreneurship and micro and small enterprise support for jobs.
Lamentation
He lamented the under-utilization of apprenticeship as a tool for developing the capacity of the youth for socio-economic development in the country even though legal and regulatory frameworks exist to support its practice.
Background
Ghana has ratified many international protocols and conventions that require the country to harness apprenticeship as a tool for socio-economic development.
The Constitution also provides the framework for enacting appropriate legislation for the education and skills development of the youth.
Ghana has a statutorily mandated body (CTVET) which strongly collaborates with international organizations like the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support the apprenticeship practice hence a national policy to harmonize and coordinate all apprenticeship practice is much expedient.
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