The Ghanaian-German Centre (GGC), which is implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Government, is partnering with the Ministry of Employment and Labour relations to provide job opportunities through the pilot ‘Graduate Work and Salary Top-Up Programme’.
This programme serves a dual objective. Firstly, it aims to cushion reputable Small and Medium Enterprises’ (SMEs) post-COVID recovery by supporting their wage bill as they seek to recruit fresh hands to spur growth from the effects of the COVID pandemic. On a threshold of GH¢1,500, the GGC pays 60% of the employee’s salary for 6 months and 40% for the subsequent 4 months.
The programme, therefore, supports SMEs by leveraging their wage bill for growth, while promoting employment, improving skills, and entrepreneurship among the youth through their 10-month corporate experience that serves as a springboard from retention or alternate employment opportunities.
The newly hired staff, who must be given a contract that includes their training plan, acquire valuable on-the-job learning to augment their work experience, sharpen their skills, develop their career goals, and establish corporate networks that may prove valuable throughout their careers. The motivated individuals with rounded skills bring fresh thinking and innovation to their workplaces, as the organisations benefit from the savings off their wage bill and create more jobs.
The initiative therefore contributes toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal No. 8 by promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, productive employment and decent work for the youth.
According to the World Bank report of September 2020, Ghana is faced with 12% unemployment and more than 50% underemployment among the youth – both higher than overall unemployment and underemployment rates in sub-Saharan Africa.
The GGC is partnering with TDI Global Limited to bring its internationally top-rated approach to building capacity of workforce and enterprises in a structured manner.
Through the TDI’s My3D Programme (Discover, Develop and Deploy), beneficiaries are taken through a well-structured self-discovery and self-mastery programme that enables them to understand their skills, strengths and gaps. They are then provided career guidance, counselling, mentorship and training that develops and optimises their skills before and during their period of internship.
TDI collaborates with the employers to determine their specific skills need, and then equips the youth (My3D Scholars) with the right work skills, digital skills, leadership and entrepreneurship skills which enable them to bring fresh thinking and innovation to the organisations, improve productivity and growth, and enable the organisations to become internationally competitive.
