YOTA, government push to make TVET first choice for Ghanaian youth

The Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa (YOTA) has called for increased investment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and workplace experience learning to equip young Ghanaians with practical skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

The call was made by Eric Saforo, Team Lead for Skills and Innovation at YOTA, during the National TVET Week, held under the theme “Resetting Ghana Through Technical Education.”

Mr. Saforo said YOTA, through the YES Pact, had been supporting the Ghana TVET Service’s efforts to strengthen Workplace Experience Learning (WEX), ensuring that young people transitioning from technical and vocational institutions gained practical exposure in industry.

He noted that public perceptions of TVET had changed significantly, stressing that technical and vocational education should no longer be regarded as an inferior alternative to traditional academic education.

According to him, the growing demand for practical skills presents significant opportunities for young people, particularly amid Ghana’s expanding youth population and limited formal employment opportunities.

“Within TVET, there are a lot of opportunities for both wage employment and self-employment,” he said, emphasising the need to position technical and vocational education as a preferred pathway to sustainable livelihoods.

“TVET is the first choice for people to get in and be able to get jobs, either as self-entrepreneurs or as wage employees,” Mr. Saforo added.

He commended the government for its efforts to make TVET more attractive and increase investment in the sector. However, he noted that although the establishment of a TVET Fund could help address some financial challenges, additional sources of funding would still be required.

“The funding, we know, may not be enough. And so we are looking at other institutions that can come on board and support financing for TVET,” he said.

Mr. Saforo explained that increased investment would help improve training programmes and infrastructure in TVET institutions across the country.

He also urged Ghanaian parents to reconsider the perception that technical and vocational education offers limited career prospects, encouraging them to support their children in pursuing TVET as a viable route to employment and entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, Hon. George Opare Addo, has announced plans to launch a “First Choice Agenda” campaign aimed at changing public perceptions of TVET and encouraging parents to consider it a preferred educational pathway for their children.

The initiative forms part of the government’s efforts to rebrand and prioritise technical and vocational education while increasing investment in the sector to create more employment opportunities for Ghana’s growing youth population.

The campaign will seek to encourage parents to view TVET as a first option rather than a last resort for their children.

“Our goal is to encourage parents to consider technical and vocational education as the first choice for their children rather than treating it as the last resort,” the minister said.

He acknowledged that changing public attitudes would require more than campaigns and slogans, stressing the importance of improving the quality of training, providing modern equipment, ensuring credible qualifications and creating better employment opportunities for graduates.

He identified the perception that TVET is intended for young people who have failed to excel in traditional academic education as one of the major challenges facing the sector.

However, he argued that technical and vocational skills remain essential to almost every aspect of modern life and are critical to national development.

“We will not change this perception through slogans alone. We will change it through evidence, one successful graduate at a time and the story we tell,” he said.

The renewed push by YOTA and the government highlights the growing emphasis on technical and vocational education as a pathway to addressing youth unemployment, promoting entrepreneurship and equipping young people with skills relevant to the labour market.