By Dorothy Frances Ward
Kumasi, Aug. 14, GNA – Strengthening vocational and skills training is critical in the country’s quest to secure economic growth and promote accelerated national development.
Professor Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, Vice-Chancellor of University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED), who stated this said skills training played a critical role in preparing individuals, particularly the youth, with the practical knowledge and competencies required to contribute meaningfully to the development of the country.
It is therefore important for skills and vocational training institutions to place greater emphasis on practical and technical education and encourage students to inculcate interest in skills acquisition to enable them to be self-sustainable in the future.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Kumasi, Professor Sarfo stressed the need to make students understand that, taking up vocational and skill training did not make them block heads, but rather, drivers of national development.
He said the country could not achieve sustainable development without a well-trained workforce capable of responding to the changing needs of the economy.
Prof. Sarfo said institutions responsible for skills training must regularly review their programmes to ensure that graduates acquired relevant and marketable skills.
He said USTED had introduced more skilled programmes that would make their students self-reliant and provide employment for others as well after their education.
He said government and other stakeholders must support training institutions with modern equipment, tools, and other learning materials to improve the quality of practical training.
He said inadequate facilities and equipment remained major challenges confronting some institutions and could affect the quality of training provided to students.
He also mentioned that recruitment and continuous training of qualified instructors could equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, as another challenge.
Additionally, stronger collaboration between training institutions and industry was necessary to expose students to real-life work environments.
Such partnerships, he explained, would also enable institutions to understand the skills required by employers and adjust their training programmes accordingly.
Prof. Sarfo encouraged the private sector to support skills development initiatives through internships, apprenticeships, mentorship programmes and technical assistance.
This, he said, would help young people gain valuable work experience and increase their chances of securing employment after training.
He urged parents and guardians to encourage their children to consider technical and vocational education as a pathway to successful careers.
He said skills training should not be viewed as an alternative for students who could not pursue academic education, but as an important form of education capable of producing entrepreneurs, technicians, and skilled professionals.
Prof. Sarfo said the promotion of skills training could also help reduce youth unemployment and encourage more youth to gain interest in that area.
He encouraged the youth to take advantage of available training opportunities and continuously upgrade their skills to remain competitive in the changing world of work.
He said the development of a skilled workforce would improve productivity, promote innovation, and strengthen the country’s economic growth.
Prof. Sarfo, therefore, called on government, educational institutions, industry, and development partners to work together to strengthen skills training across the country.
He said investing in vocational and skill development had transformed many countries and Ghana must do same because it would save the next generation from unemployment and boost the country’s economy.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Linda Asante Agyei