Kumasi: The Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service has shared the key findings of a comprehensive skills supply and demand assessment conducted in the Ashanti Region, aimed at aligning training programmes with labour market needs.
According to Ghana News Agency, the assessment, funded by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Ghana Office, seeks to bridge the gap between the skills TVET graduates acquire and those required by employers to drive sustainable economic development. The study focused on identifying current and future labour market demands, evaluating the effectiveness of existing TVET supply, and developing strategies to make training programmes more relevant to industry requirements.
The goal is to ensure that TVET curricula and training better match employer expectations, while equipping the youth with employable skills. As part of its 2023-2027 Country Programme, UNICEF is supporting the development of the TVET sub-sector by building on ongoing reforms, including institutional restructuring, the expansion of Competency-Based Training (CBT), the introduction of work-based learning models, and the strengthening of industry linkages.
Despite these efforts, significant challenges persist, including inadequate infrastructure, limited instructor capacity, curriculum misalignment, negative societal perceptions about TVET, and low private sector engagement. It is against this backdrop that UNICEF commissioned the skills supply and demand assessment in the Ashanti Region in 2024 to inform programme design and guide government agencies and development partners in shaping effective policies.
Mr. Osama Makkawi, UNICEF Country Representative, speaking at a stakeholder forum in Kumasi to present the findings, highlighted the critical role of the youth in Ghana's economic growth, particularly in the Ashanti Region, which has a large youthful population with enormous potential. 'Ghana, like many other African countries, is blessed with young and energetic people. Given the right opportunities, they can drive innovation and productivity,' he said.
Mr. Makkawi stressed that young people needed skills that match the realities of the labour market, as well as opportunities to learn, practice, and work. According to him, the study revealed a significant mismatch between the training provided by TVET institutions and the skills demanded by industry. He said while many young people were trained in fashion design, only one institution in the region offered training in agriculture despite it being the backbone of Ghana's economy. Other critical sectors, such as Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and technical trades, were also found to be underserved in existing training programmes.
Mr. Abdul Fatah Mahama, Deputy Director-General in charge of Management Services at the Ghana TVET Service, said the research provided data-driven insights that were essential for guiding curriculum reviews, resource allocations, and policy decisions. He warned that without evidence-based findings, challenges such as infrastructure deficits, instructor capacity challenges, negative perceptions about TVET, and weak private sector participation risked being addressed based on anecdotal assumptions rather than facts. Mr. Mahama commended UNICEF for its continued support in strengthening TVET education in Ghana and reaffirmed the Service's commitment to equipping Ghanaian youth with employable skills that meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market.
