Experts are calling for deeper collaboration between industry and academia to bridge the growing gap between Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Ghana’s job market.
The experts emphasised that with the widening gap between TVET and Ghana’s labour market, there is a need for curriculum co-development, apprenticeship opportunities, and industry-led training to enhance employability and drive economic growth.
This call was made during a roundtable discussion on building market-responsive TVET systems through collaboration, organised by the Design and Technology Institute (DTI) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
The TVET initiative was introduced by the government to equip young people with practical skills that lead to employment and support industrial growth. However, implementation challenges persist especially a mismatch between the skills TVET graduates acquire and the needs of employers in sectors like construction, technology, and manufacturing.
A key message shared by experts at the event was the urgent need for closer ties between training institutions and industry.
They believe this collaboration is essential to ensuring that students are learning skills that are relevant and useful in today’s job market.
Founder and President of DTI, Constance Swaniker, an educationist, and entrepreneur, stressed the need for strong partnerships among industry, academia, and the public sector.
She explained that the job market is evolving rapidly, and unless training institutions adapt in line with industry needs, many young people will continue to struggle to find jobs after graduation.
“When training institutions and businesses work together, they can co-design training programmes that gives students the real-world skills employers want. This collaboration is key to building a workforce that supports innovation, reduces unemployment, and grows our economy,” she said.
Elaborating further, she noted that in the past, academic institutions and industries had different goals and expectations, hence collaboration was limited and skills were misaligned.
This misalignment, she said, led to a mismatch between training and job opportunities.
“By working together from the start through course design, internships, and feedback, we can make sure students graduate with skills that match what industry is looking for.”
Professor William Baah-Boateng, an Economist at the University of Ghana, seconded the notion reiterating the importance of aligning TVET policies with real job market demands as Ghana’s economic transformation depends largely on how well the country invests in its human capital.
“We need to connect the dots between training policies and what the job market actually needs. This cannot be done by education alone, it needs close cooperation with industry players, the private sector, and the government,” he said.
He further warned academia against development of curricula in isolation from industry, as it often fails to prepare students for the realities of the workplace.
“We must bring industry and education stakeholders together to shape training content and set standards that reflect the skills employers want. It’s not just a good idea, it’s a national necessity,” he added.
On his part, Technical Advisor for GIZ’s Pact for Skills Programme, Danful Robert Tawiah, highlighted the successes of Germany’s dual TVET system and the need for Ghana to adopt same.
He explained how German students split their time between classroom learning and practical training in actual workplaces, making them more job-ready.
“Although it wasn’t easy at first, the partnership between schools and companies eventually paid off, we can learn a lot from that model to improve our own systems,” Mr. Tawiah indicated.
He stressed that adopting global best practices like these could help Ghana design better internship programmes, reduce youth unemployment, and build a stronger workforce for national development.
Mark Aremu of Takoradi Technical University also shared success stories from Ghana.
He explained how TTU partners with organisations like DTI and the Kosmos Innovation Center to connect students with job service officers, helping guide them through their training and employment journey.
The event concluded with a united call for more collaboration, stronger policy support, and consistent engagement between all stakeholders—industry, training institutions, government, and development partners to make TVET a true engine for job creation and economic growth.
