Trained but jobless  …the human cost of Ghana’s skills mismatch

ALONG the busy corridors of the George Walker Bush highway, in Accra, 26-year old Nana Akua Afriyie arranges her beautiful sewn African print dresses on mannequins in front of her shop, hoping to attract buyers.

She trained in fashion design at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) school in the Ashanti Region and graduated with high expec­tations. But three years on, she admits the journey has been tough.

“Everywhere I go, they tell me the same thing -they already have enough fashion designers,” Akua said with a wry smile.

“I wish I had studied something like agro-processing or Information Commu­nication Technology (ICT), because that is where the jobs seem to be.”

Her story is not unique. Across Gha­na, TVET graduates are struggling to find work, even as employers complain about difficulties in hiring people with the right skills.

This paradox lies at the heart of a new study commissioned by United Na­tions Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Ghana in partnership with the Government of Ghana, which has revealed deep struc­tural gaps in the TVET system.

Oversupply and

shortages

The study, conducted across 57 pre-tertiary public and private TVET institutions, found a sharp mismatch between the skills offered in schools and the skills demanded on the labour market.

Only one out of the 57 schools offers training in agriculture which is a dominant driver of Ghana economy. This is despite employers reporting a rising need for skilled workers in agro-processing and agricultural tech­nology.

The situation in ICT is only slightly better. Although the digital economy is growing rapidly, just four TVET institu­tions provide ICT-related training.

By contrast, trades like fashion design and garment-making are over­supplied. Almost every TVET institution offers them, leading to a glut of gradu­ates competing in a saturated field.

Kwame Bediako, who runs a me­dium-sized agro-processing company in Ejisu, says the imbalance is hurting businesses. “We need young people who understand modern farming, post-harvest handling, and agro-pro­cessing.

But the schools are not training them. Instead, every year, we see hundreds of fashion and hairdressing graduates with no jobs waiting for them,” he told this paper.

Employment gap

Beyond the mismatch of trades, the study also uncovered a “perception gap” between employers and gradu­ates.

Employers surveyed consistently reported that TVET graduates lacked adequate practical exposure and soft skills such as teamwork, communica­tion, and problem-solving. Yet when students were interviewed, many ex­pressed confidence in their prepared­ness for the job market.

“It’s like we are speaking two dif­ferent languages,” said a construction contractor in Kumasi who took part in the survey.

“We advertise for masons or weld­ers, and applicants come with certif­icates but cannot deliver basic tasks on-site. Meanwhile, they believe they are fully qualified. It is frustrating for everyone.”

This gap highlights a deeper issue: the way TVET outcomes are measured.

While many institutions prioritise exams and certification, employers value real-world performance, adapt­ability, and reliability – qualities direct­ly tied to the targets of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) eight which seeks to achieve decent work and eco­nomic growth.

Infrastructure

under strain

The introduction of free TVET education in Ghana has been hailed as a bold step to expand access and empower more young people with em­ployable skills. But the surge in enroll­ment has placed immense pressure on schools.

Workshops, classrooms, and training equipment are overstretched, making it difficult for instructors to deliver effective Competency-Based Training (CBT) – a method designed to give stu­dents practical, hands-on skills.

At one TVET school visited during the study, a single welding machine was being shared by more than 30 students, drastically limiting practice time.

“We are trying, but the resources are just not enough,” admitted an instructor who asked not to be named.

Interestingly, the study noted that private TVET institutions recorded higher CBT accreditation levels than their public counterparts, but both sectors face similar challenges of in­adequate infrastructure and outdated equipment – a challenge that reflects the urgency of SDG nine: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Ghana’s demographic

dividend at risk

With a youthful population, Ghana is one of several African countries pro­jected to benefit from a demographic dividend – the economic growth that can result when a large share of the population is of working age.

But UNICEF warns that this oppor­tunity may slip away if young people are not adequately prepared for the job market. High unemployment, job insecurity, and limited opportunities are already major concerns.

“TVET is a powerful pathway to equip young people with relevant skills,” the report stated. “But unless curricula, training, and infrastructure are aligned with industry needs, Ghana risks losing the benefits of its demo­graphic advantage – and missing its commitments under SDG four: Quality Education.”

Workplace experience:

A partial fix

One of the ways schools have tried to bridge the skills gap is through Workplace Experience Learning (WEL) – placing students in companies for internships or apprenticeships.

While many employers support this, some expressed concerns about the risks involved. “It is costly to supervise students who come for training, and sometimes they slow down productivi­ty,” said an ICT firm manager in Kuma­si. “But we do it because we know the system needs it.”

Recommendations

and the way forward

The study made several recommen­dations to address the skills mismatch. Its suggested curriculum alignment. It called on schools to update curricula to reflect the skills industries need, especially in agriculture, ICT, and construction.

Also UNICEF urged schools to inculcate soft skills in TVET training, infrastructure investment and build stronger partnerships.

UNICEF called for a collective effort involving government, private sector, development partners, and communities to ensure that TVET fulfils its role as a driver of sustainable economic growth.

For Akua, the fashion graduate, the lack of opportunities has been discour­aging. Yet she remains hopeful. “If I had the chance to retrain in ICT or food processing, I would do it. I don’t want to just sit at home,” she said.

Her words echo the aspirations of thousands of Ghanaian youth – ambi­tious, energetic, and eager to contrib­ute, but often trapped by systemic shortcomings in education and train­ing.

By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu

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