GTVP Uplifts Traditional Apprenticeship In Ghana

An apprentices receiving skills upgrade at Liberty Specialist Institute in Koforidua Eastern Region

Ghana’s vibrant informal sector, long sustained by traditional apprenticeship systems, is undergoing a historic upgrade. The Ghana TVET Voucher Project (GTVP), a joint initiative between the Government of Ghana and the German Government through KfW, is transforming how skills are developed and certified for the majority of the country’s workforce.

During a recent visit with the media, Mr. Albert Opare, Head of Corporate Affairs at the Commission for TVET (CTVET), visited three implementing institutions—Uni-Jay Amaleboba Skills Development Academy, Oyska Technical Institute, and Gracelove Creations Training Institute—where the positive impact of the project was clearly visible.

In Ghana, over 90% of the workforce acquire their skills through traditional apprenticeship systems within small and micro enterprises. While this model has ensured employment for generations, it often leaves artisans struggling to keep pace with technological changes and without access to formal qualifications under the Ghanaian National Qualifications Framework.

Addressing this challenge, the GTVP introduces Competency-Based Training (CBT) that integrates practical workplace training with complementary instruction from accredited institutions. Beneficiaries under the project now gain industry-relevant skills, health and safety training, and the opportunity to obtain National Proficiency Level I or II certificates that are formally recognized nationwide.

Apprentices and master craft persons at the visited institutions expressed heartfelt appreciation to the Ghanaian and German governments. “We are more confident, more skilled, and we have certificates to prove it,” said a trainee at Oyska. “This is a life-changing opportunity,” added another at Gracelove Creations.

Training providers echoed these sentiments. The institutions have benefited from financial support and guidance through the GTVP, allowing them to pursue accreditation with CTVET. “Accreditation has improved our standards and aligned us with national regulations,” said a representative from Uni-Jay Academy.

Mr. Opare underscored the project’s systemic impact. “Through the GTVP, more training institutions and trade associations are registering with CTVET, allowing us to implement CBT on a larger scale. We are professionalising the traditional apprenticeship system while strengthening our regulatory oversight.”

He added that the project is helping informal sector beneficiaries secure recognised qualifications, unlocking access to career advancement and further education. “With a growing database of TVET stakeholders and financial sustainability for accreditation services, CTVET is being strengthened as the national regulator of TVET.”

The Ghana TVET Voucher Project is not just a skills programme—it is a national reform effort giving artisans, especially the youth, a structured path to opportunity, dignity, and economic empowerment.