The Chronicle has taken note of the growing national conversation surrounding the relevance of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in addressing unemployment and strengthening Ghana’s labour market.
For example, at the recent 4th Biennial Applied Research Conference of Technical Universities held in Takoradi, President John Dramani Mahama urged Ghana’s technical universities to emulate the German model of competence-based education to transform higher education into a driver of industrialisation and job creation.
According to the President, universities must move beyond theory-driven instruction and embrace practical, industry-oriented training that equips students with employable and entrepreneurial skills.
“You must focus on hands-on, competence-based technical and vocational training aligned with the German model,” President Mahama emphasised.
He explained that the German approach, which combines classroom instruction with industrial attachment and practical problem-solving, offers Ghana a viable pathway towards reducing graduate unemployment and building a skilled workforce capable of supporting industrial growth.
At the same conference, the Chairman of Vice-Chancellors of Technical Universities in Ghana, Prof. Appiah Adinkrah, also called for greater national investment in TVET, describing it as critical to industrial transformation, innovation and sustainable development.
Speaking under the theme, “Advancing TVET for Innovation, Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development,” Prof. Adinkrah stressed that technical universities are strategically positioned to solve Ghana’s developmental challenges through practical education, applied research and stronger collaboration with industry.
The Chronicle wholeheartedly agrees that TVET remains crucial to national development and youth empowerment, especially at a time when many university graduates continue to struggle to secure employment.
However, whilst we acknowledge the pivotal role TVET can play in Ghana’s technological and industrial advancement, we firmly believe that skills training alone cannot solve unemployment without creating a conducive environment for businesses to expand and absorb skilled labour.
A buoyant economy naturally creates opportunities for artisans, engineers, mechanics, electricians, plumbers and other skilled professionals. Without industrial expansion, private sector growth and increased productivity, even the best technical training systems may produce graduates whose skills are underutilised.
Even if TVET graduates establish their own businesses after school, the viability and sustainability of such enterprises will still depend heavily on the sound footing of the national economy. This is why The Chronicle advises Ghanaian leaders to confront the country’s economic challenges head-on, because a strong economy remains the best yardstick for measuring the growth and survival of self-made businesses and entrepreneurial ventures.
If Ghana is not careful, the country could end up producing thousands of highly skilled workers who remain unemployed or underemployed, similar to what is already being witnessed in parts of the health sector, where trained professionals increasingly seek opportunities abroad due to limited local absorption capacity.
The Chronicle therefore maintains that TVET should not be treated as the sole panacea to Ghana’s unemployment crisis. It must be supported by deliberate policies aimed at economic transformation, industrialisation, investment attraction and private sector expansion. Laying the foundation for a resilient economy remains the surest path towards sustainable employment and national prosperity.
