By Buertey Francis BORYOR
The World University Services of Canada (WUSC), through its Innovation in Non-Traditional Vocational and Skills Training (INVEST) initiative, aims to assist over 5,000 young Ghanaian women in male-dominated trades to transition into the workforce.
This initiative underscores the urgent need for gender inclusivity in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. It seeks to establish sustainable pathways for marginalised women in urban centres like Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi aiming to enhance their economic empowerment and well-being, and contribute to inclusive growth.
It also aims to test and scale innovative, sustainable models that address gender-specific barriers to women’s economic participation. The goal is to improve marginalised women’s access to decent work in non-traditional sectors, among other objectives.
In her welcome address at the 2nd Annual INVEST Forum in Accra, Ms. Appiah Wiafe Adofo, Project Director of INVEST, noted the forum’s importance in leveraging strategies to promote gender equality and social inclusion within non-traditional trades.
She acknowledged that in Ghana, young women encounter significant obstacles in accessing quality education and employment opportunities, especially in male-dominated trades. However, she stated that through the INVEST project, WUSC is collaborating with local partners to develop innovative solutions that directly tackle these challenges.
“These interventions, ranging from skills training to mentorship initiatives, aim to create an enabling environment where every young woman can thrive and contribute meaningfully to society. However, we recognise that there is still much work to be done,” she added.
Through the ‘So me mu’ mentorship programme – a component of its ‘INVEST in Her’ campaign, she indicated that the organisation has created a platform that promotes growth and development for both mentors and mentees to thrive in high growth sectors which are mainly male-dominated.
The Director and Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada in Ghana, Ms. Kathleen Flynn-Dapaah, noted that gender equality and the empowerment of women are central to her country’s international assistance efforts around the world.
“This is why Canada is pleased to support innovative initiatives like the INVEST project and its 3 cousins within the Innovation for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Ghana’s call for proposals. Through these 4 projects, we have invested 30 million dollars into support for women’s economic empowerment through skills training and entrepreneurship,” she elaborated.
She added that investing women’s economic empowerment is the surest way to advance the goals of reducing poverty, increasing women’s agency, improving their well-being and, most importantly, facilitating more options for them to decide the kind of life they would like to live.
She reaffirmed her country’s commitment to support Ghana to reach its Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum was themed ‘Supporting young women in male-dominated trades to transition into the world of work’.
WUSC is a Canadian non-profit organisation working to create a better world for all young people. It brings together a diverse network of students, volunteers, schools, governments and businesses who share this vision.
The organisation also fosters youth-centred solutions in education, economic opportunities and empowerment to overcome inequality and exclusion in over 25 countries across Asia, Africa and the Americas.
