Over 500 job seekers, employers and exhibitors from the circular economy and over 40 businesses participated in SNV Ghana’s 2023 GrEEn Job Fair in the Western at Takoradi Region.
The GrEEn job fair aims to support the creation of green jobs by inspiring young people to seek and explore green opportunities. Also, it afforded an opportunity for the youth and returning migrants to meet potential employers.
It was themed ‘career prospects in TVET: the nexus of green jobs for inclusive transformational development”.
Laouali Sadda, GrEEn Project Manager, SNV Netherland Development Organization, said since 2019, the GrEEn project has given practical employable skills to improve efficiency in the green economy, through an integrated approach in the Western and Ashanti Regions.
He said Curriculum Vitae (CV) for some of the youths have been reviewed: “We have given them career guidance too and since 2020, we have organised 14 job fairs in eight districts in two regions”.
Also, he said 1,600 people participated in the job fair in 2022 and has created 130 jobs with 75 in the Western Region.
According to Mr. Sadda, grants worth €5 million have so far been awarded to 99 micro, small and medium-sized businesses under the SNV Ghana GrEEn project, with support from SNV Netherlands Development Organization and funded by the European Union.
Additionally, he said under the skills development component, over 6,500 people have acquired basic life, business and technical skills through training and internships, with 4,900 receiving placements to increase their skills in energy, agri-food and water systems.
Enoch Amegbletor, Head of Corporate Affairs, Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (GTVET) Service, harped on TVET as a critical tool to reducing unemployment among the youth.
He called for environmentally friendly and sustainable development programmes to ensure that the youth are equipped with knowledge and skills to catch up with global challenges and to be able to participate in the green economy.
Joseph Garbrah, Regional Chairman of Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), advised the youth and new entrepreneurs to be time conscious, punctual, disciplined and serious with their work.
“There’s a paradigm shift on the job market, let’s go into entrepreneurship, we ‘re now going TVET. Let’s use our hands to work,” he added.
Osahene Katakyi Busumakura II, Takoradimanhen commended SNV for the GrEEn project over the years.
