The Executive Director of National Vocational Training Institution (NVTI), Mawusi Nudekor Awuti has expressed worry over the lack of interest in skills training by the country’s youth. This she said was negatively affecting Ghana’s Economic gains.
Speaking during the opening of a six month free agribusiness training [ads1]programme at the Nkwanta Youth Skills Acquisition Centre (NYOSA) at Kpasa in the Nkwanta North District of the Volta Region, She said the country’s drive towards a middle-income status depended largely on maintaining quality workforce and called for new ‘love’ for skills training.
Madam Awuti said skills in technical and vocational training was the way to go and called on the beneficiaries to consider expanding the industry to benefit others. She added that government was investing in cottage industries to help reduce rural-urban migration and that NVTI was also working to ensure that trainees fit into the competitive markets.
She, therefore, advised the youth to identify their skills and talents, and take advantage of training programmes by venturing into the entrepreneurial space.
A Technical Advisor with the German Development Corporation, GIZ, on the CAADP ATVET project, Michael Boateng, said African leaders have laid emphasis on training and skills development to increase industrial productivity especially in the agricultural sector, and the GIZ is funding 12 countries on the project.
He said NYOSA, and five other farm institutes in the country were being supported with irrigation systems and processing equipment. He appealed to the youth to grab the growing opportunities in the farming sector. “GIZ would also support the Institute to acquire certificates for trainees to enable them access higher training opportunities” he indicated.
Executive Director of Fair River International Association for Development, FARIAD, Joseph Agbeko, appealed for a permanent site for the Centre, which has trained over 170 people. He was grateful to GIZ for supporting the project.
He said the practical oriented programme featured four months of tuition, and two months of industrial attachment, and that the curriculum was formulated in consultation with players in related industries for best results.
The programme which was organised by the Fair River International Association for Development (FARIAD) under its “Accelerating Skills and Strategies for Entrepreneurship Transformation for Youth in Agro-processing” initiative is to provide standard industry skills for rural folk.
This year, the programme is training young people in agro-processing, agri-business, contract farming, occupational health and safety management, as well as entrepreneurship and innovation. The German Development Corporation (GIZ) is supporting the programme through its Ghana Skills Development Initiative project, and the Agricultural Technical Vocation Education and Training (ATVET) under the Africa Union’s Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
