First Private Vulcanizing Institute launched

The Chief Executive Officer of Barshok 10 tyre Safety Service, Chief Basiru Karim Bukorba has launched the first vulcanizing training institute in Ghana.

Known as Bukorba Vulcanizing Training Institute (BVTI) it is affiliated to the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) and Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) formerly called COTVET.

Addressing the participants, Chief Basiru Karim stated that the training Institute has eight (8) vulcanizing garages in the Accra metropolis, one in Tema and one in the Ashanti Region for practical training.

This training program, he said is carefully crafted for one year and is geared towards the National Vocational Training Institute (N.V.T.I) Proficiency one and two certificates.

He added that each training phase would be done with both theoretical and practical training on Tyre Servicing, Braking System Servicing, Suspension System Maintenance and Car Diagnosis Principles with intensive workshop demonstrations.

According to Chief Bashiru the training of 80% practical and 20% theory would equip trainees with the requisite knowledge that will be adequate for the job market.

He revealed that the Training Institute has been providing training for reputable companies and individuals in Ghana for the past five (5) years and has over the past ten (10) years trained about 800 Vulcanizers who are currently employed in Tyre Service Centers across the country.

Enumerating the challenges facing the TVET education in Ghana, the advisor to the institute Mr. Norbert Ayamga stated that there are perceptions that TVET is for those who are not intelligent or smart to go through grammar schools in Ghana or acquire more degrees in their profession.

"In fact, it is not true that those who pursue their education or profession or trade-in TVET are not smart or intelligent."

He said TVET trainees use all their psychomotor skills and knowledge to develop themselves better and come out with more innovations in their chosen careers.

He said the TVET industry is not getting the right calibre of persons who are trained by the trainers adding that skills needed in the country are not tailored by the trainers.

"TVET funding is a challenge and many people cannot afford to go through the training to acquire the needed skills," he noted.

He said the growing unemployment rate is due to the mismatch between demand and supply of skills and called on government to subsidize TVET adding that a TVET fund should be set up by government to ensure that only people

who are willing to enroll can assess it.

He called on Philanthropists and NGOs to also assist the youth who are interested in the TVET training and urged parents to encourage their children to participate in TVET training to reduce unemployment and social vices.

On his part, a representative from NVTI Mr Goerge Oduro stated that a major characteristic of TVET is its delivery at different levels of sophistication.

"This means that TVET can respond, not only to the needs of different types of industries but also to the different training needs of learners from different socio-economic and academic backgrounds and prepare them for gainful employment and sustainable livelihoods".

According to him, skilled workforce is a basic requirement for driving the engine of industrial and economic growth, and NVTI holds the key to building this type of technical and entrepreneurial workforce.