WUSC is committed to supporting more young women in TVET trades - Appiah Wiafe Adofo

In the quest to minimize the unemployment rate among Ghanaian youth, especially females, the Innovation in Non-Tradition Vocational Education and Skills Training (INVEST PROJECT) a project of World University Services of Canada (WUSC) has supported a total of 2,358 young women in male-dominated trades.

The INVEST project aimed to address the root causes of gender inequalities faced by young women, and engage with industry actors to create an enabling environment for young women’s access to decent work, ultimately leading to a strengthened workforce and labor market. Using an inclusive market systems approach, the project will INVEST in women, institutions, and the labor market of high-growth sectors to achieve sustainable, scalable, and transformative change.

The beneficiaries receive technical skills in high-demand sectors such as construction (Built Environment), Energy (Renewable, Solar, Electricity), ICT /Electronics / Automation, Extractives (Mining, Oil and GAS, Quarry as well as in Engineering and Manufacturing.

So far, under the project, 130 young women have successfully been linked to companies for internships and employment, and 295 female entrepreneurs have benefited from gender-sensitive business development training under the women in the TVET business.

Again, a total of 655 young women have received scholarships to go through their training under this intervention, 527 females have successfully been carried with mentors, and 751 women enrolled in male-dominated TVET trades.

The Innovation in Non-Traditional Vocational Education and Skills Training (INVEST) is a 5-year initiative that seeks to build sustainable pathways to enhanced economic empowerment, well-being, and inclusive growth for 5,000 urban poor young women in Accra, Kumasi, and Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. Currently, the project is in its fourth year of implementation with the target age of young women between 15 and 35 years.

Speaking at INVEST Progress review workshop program on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, in Accra, Appiah Wiafe Adofo, Program Director of INVEST said it's very important that they review the project as to where the updates from the third year of implementation to ensure that year four and five is of success.

"We are really excited about the progress of the project in reducing the unemployment rate among women in the country.

Emphasizing that, due to the current economic crisis in the country, it is very essential to encourage not only SMEs to grow but rather encourage more women to go into TVET.

"It is vital to encourage young women to go into TVET. We are not just training women for the seek of training rather we training the women so they can be employed," she said.

In terms of safety, she noted that the women are trained in how to use the various equipment in the line of work. Also, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) are made available for their safety.

She seized the opportunity to urge females to venture into the male-dominated field with no fear and panic

"Women can venture to do any trade they want to do. We believe it should not be limited to vocations and trades within the female-dominated trades. That is why we are exposing more women to viable TVET occupations," she added.

Appiah Wiafe Adofo stressed that WUSC is committed to its mandate by creating a better place for young people.

The workshop was in attendance of representatives of WUSC's partner expertise like ABANTU for Development, National Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Plan, Ghana Chamber of Construction and Industry, Women in Law and Development, Self-Search Ghana, Commission for TVET, Farm Radio International, Lyme Haus Solutions and National Vocational Training Institute.