The Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), in partnership with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), has called for a stronger partnership between industry and Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system to ensure that skills development translates into decent jobs, higher productivity and sustainable economic growth.
The call was made during the Private Sector and TVET Rotational Dialogue Platform Workshop, which brought together representatives from industry, Sector Skills Bodies, TVET institutions and other key stakeholders to deliberate on ways of strengthening collaboration between training institutions and the private sector.
With particular attention on the construction and electrical sectors, the dialogue examined industry skills requirements, challenges affecting TVET-industry partnerships and practical approaches to deepen cooperation between training providers and employers.
The Director-General of CTVET, Mr. Zakaria Sulemana emphasized that Ghana’s ambition to industrialise, create decent employment, improve productivity and compete effectively in the global economy cannot be achieved without a workforce equipped with relevant, adaptable and industry-responsive skills.
He stressed that the relationship between TVET institutions and industry must evolve from periodic consultations into a structured partnership where employers have a meaningful role in determining what and how learners are trained.
“We must move from consultation to partnership, where industry is actively involved in shaping curricula, training delivery, assessment and the competencies that our labour market requires.”
Mr. Zakaria Sulemana
Industry Partnership Critical to Skills Development
The dialogue forms part of efforts to establish a demand-driven TVET system that responds directly to the changing needs of businesses and the wider economy.
Participants examined opportunities for the private sector to contribute more substantially to the development of training programmes, particularly by identifying emerging skills requirements and helping institutions align their programmes with workplace realities.
According to CTVET, strengthening this relationship is critical because businesses are ultimately among the principal users of the skills produced by the country’s education and training system.
A closer partnership would therefore enable employers to communicate the competencies they require while allowing TVET institutions to adjust their programmes to address gaps in the labour market.
Workplace Experience Learning Gains Attention
Mr. Zakaria Sulemana noted that classroom-based instruction alone cannot provide learners with the complete range of technical and professional competencies required in modern workplaces.
Workplace exposure allows trainees to operate within actual production environments, interact with experienced professionals and become familiar with modern equipment, workplace procedures and employer expectations.
It also gives learners opportunities to develop teamwork, communication, problem-solving and professional discipline in circumstances that cannot be fully reproduced within a classroom or workshop.
He underscored the importance of creating more opportunities for TVET learners to gain practical workplace experience before completing their training.
“Workplace exposure gives learners the opportunity to engage with real production environments, modern equipment and professional standards while understanding the expectations of employers in ways that classroom training alone cannot provide.”
Mr. Zakaria Sulemana
Expanding Opportunities Beyond Major Cities
CTVET identified the concentration of industry and training opportunities in major cities as a challenge that could limit access to quality workplace experience for learners in underserved regions.
Expanding these opportunities, the Commission believes, could provide young people in underserved communities with greater access to relevant technical training and workplace experience while also helping businesses in those areas secure appropriately skilled workers.
The approach could contribute to more balanced economic development by linking local skills development to economic activities within different regions.
Construction and Electrical Sectors in Focus
The construction and electrical sectors received particular attention during the rotational dialogue due to their importance to infrastructure development, industrial activity and employment creation.
Participants discussed the skills required by businesses operating within these areas and examined challenges that continue to affect effective cooperation between employers and TVET institutions.
The discussions were also intended to identify practical measures that could improve the responsiveness of training programmes and ensure that graduates possess competencies that match actual industry requirements.
By strengthening sector-specific engagement, CTVET seeks to ensure that training is informed by technological developments and changing production methods rather than remaining disconnected from developments within the labour market.
From Dialogue to Concrete Action
This marked an important transition from identifying challenges to establishing practical measures that can strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors.
CTVET reaffirmed its commitment to building a TVET system in which industry is not merely a beneficiary of skilled graduates but an active participant in shaping the competencies those graduates acquire.
The Commission maintained that sustained private-sector involvement would help ensure that training programmes remain relevant, responsive and aligned with Ghana’s economic priorities.
Linking Skills to Economic Transformation
The broader objective, according to CTVET, is to ensure that investments in technical and vocational training produce measurable outcomes for individuals, businesses and the national economy.
A stronger connection between skills development and industry demand could improve graduates’ transition into employment, support businesses to access competent workers and enhance productivity across key economic sectors.
It could also help Ghana address the persistent challenge of preparing young people for meaningful employment by equipping them with practical competencies that respond to real labour-market opportunities.
CTVET said it remains committed to strengthening public-private collaboration as part of efforts to build a workforce capable of supporting Ghana’s industrialisation agenda.
The Commission’s engagement with industry therefore signals a broader shift towards a TVET model in which training institutions and employers jointly assume responsibility for developing the skills required to drive economic transformation.
Ultimately, CTVET believes that moving from consultation to genuine partnership will be essential to ensuring that Ghana’s TVET system produces more than certificates by creating pathways to productive employment, competitive enterprises, stronger industries and sustainable national economic prosperity
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