<<Print>>

The acting Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, has said technical and vocational education remains a priority for the government because it is a major antidote to the unemployment situation in the country.

He said training people with technical and vocational skills increased the country’s competitiveness at the global level and added that the National Vocational Training Institute’s (NVTI) ability to train and churn out highly skilled personnel would help meet the manpower needs of the country.

Mr. Awuah made these assertions at a graduation ceremony for students who had undergone training at various technical and vocational jobs.

Beneficiaries

More than 112 students who graduated also received start-up tools and kits from the NVTI  to help them find their footing after completion of their training.

The students, who were drawn from 34 technical and vocational institutes across the country, were given skills training in dressmaking, automobile mechanics and electricals; refrigeration and air conditioning; welding and fabrication, and plumbing.

TVET benefits

Mr Awuah expressed excitement about the tremendous transformation in the operations of the NVTI, saying with the necessary support, the NVTI would cement its position as the champions of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in the country.

He urged the NVTI to develop mechanisms that would effectively educate the public on the importance of TVET in the Ghanaian context and its significant contribution to national development.


Putting skills to use

Explaining details of the programme, the Executive Director of the NVTI, Mrs Mawusi Nudekor Awity, said while the various VTIs offered training in various skill areas such as fashion, plumbing, electricals, carpentry and masonry, the NVTI took the initiative to seek funding to acquire start-up tools and kits for students who were underprivileged.

“That would enable them to put the training acquired to use rather than wasting away after their training”, she added.

Mrs. Awity stated that NVTI was putting measures in place to expand the initiative and was of the hope that with the necessary support and resources, all vocational training institutes across the country would be provided with start-up tools and kits to be given to their students.

Commendation

Commending the management and staff of the various training institutions, the executive director of the NVTI said the skills and training offered life-changing stories for the beneficiaries, their immediate families and society at large.

Admonition

Mrs Awity expressed appreciation to the Scholarship Secretariat for their funding support also admonished the students to make good use of the training they had received.

"You have taken a bold step to acquire skills training, and your commitment to this is commendable," she said.