Ghana’s Ministry of Labour, Jobs and Employment has signed an agreement with United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based CG Technical Services FZ-LLC to train more than 3,800 young Ghanaians annually in vocational skills aimed at both domestic and international job markets.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed on October 2 in Accra, establishes the Ghana Youth Technical Training Initiative covering electrical installation, plumbing, refrigeration and air conditioning, masonry, fire safety certification through the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), and hospitality services.
Dr. Abdul-Rashid Hassan Pelpuo, Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, signed for Ghana while Solomon Daniel Amarh Laryea represented CG Technical Services Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Charles Reynolds at the ceremony.
The four-year programme will integrate the Boafo ATS recruitment platform to connect graduates with employers in Ghana, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the United Kingdom and other international markets according to officials. The initiative operates through public-private partnership (PPP) structures.
“This partnership reflects the Government’s commitment to addressing youth unemployment through innovative, public-private solutions,” Pelpuo said during the signing. “It will not only prepare our young people for opportunities within Ghana’s 24-hour economy but also open doors to global labour markets.”
The reference to Ghana’s 24-hour economy alludes to government plans announced earlier this year to introduce shift-based operations across sectors, though implementation details and timelines for that broader economic policy remain unclear.
Laryea emphasized international credential recognition as a key programme element. “By equipping Ghanaian youth with internationally recognized skills, we are positioning them to thrive both locally and abroad,” he stated.
The announcement comes as Ghana grapples with persistent youth unemployment despite economic growth in recent years. The Ghana Statistical Service reported youth unemployment at approximately 12.7% in its most recent labor force survey, though informal sector underemployment remains considerably higher.
Technical and vocational education training has emerged as a policy priority for successive Ghanaian governments seeking to address skills mismatches between education system outputs and labor market demands. Multiple initiatives targeting youth skills development operate currently, including programmes under the Youth Employment Agency and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
Just two days before the CG Technical Services announcement, the government launched the Ghana Skills for Jobs Initiative, which promises to train at least 15,000 young people annually for growing industries. That programme involves the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry rather than the Labour Ministry, suggesting coordination challenges across government skills initiatives.
The proliferation of training programmes raises questions about implementation capacity, sustainability and whether outputs genuinely match employer needs. Previous vocational training schemes have faced criticism for producing graduates who struggle to find employment because curricula don’t align with actual market requirements or because broader economic conditions limit job creation.
CG Technical Services appears to be a relatively small UAE-based firm. Public information about the company remains limited beyond basic registration details. Charles Reynolds is described on professional networking sites as a technical and strategic consultant with background in electrical engineering and previous roles at various companies in the Gulf region.
The company’s capacity to deliver training for nearly 4,000 Ghanaians annually while maintaining quality standards and securing international employment placements isn’t evident from available information. Whether CG Technical Services has track records delivering similar programmes elsewhere would be relevant but wasn’t disclosed in the announcement.
International vocational training partnerships can provide value when they include genuine knowledge transfer, appropriate curriculum design for local contexts, and realistic pathways to employment. But they also carry risks including misalignment between training content and actual job opportunities, inadequate quality control, and financial arrangements that may not represent value for public expenditure.
The MoU’s financial terms weren’t disclosed. Whether the Ghanaian government is paying CG Technical Services for training delivery, whether the programme involves loans that graduates must repay, or whether other funding mechanisms apply remains unclear. These details matter significantly for assessing programme sustainability and accessibility.
NEBOSH certification mentioned for fire safety training represents an internationally recognized credential that could enhance graduate employability, particularly in GCC countries where expatriate workers require such qualifications for certain roles. However, NEBOSH certification courses typically involve substantial costs, raising questions about programme financing.
The emphasis on international job placement, particularly in GCC countries, reflects broader patterns of Ghanaian labor migration. Remittances from Ghanaian workers abroad contribute significantly to the national economy, though migration also raises concerns about brain drain and family separation.
Ghana’s relationship with UAE has expanded in recent years across multiple sectors including aviation, with discussions about UAE technical support for reviving a Ghanaian national airline. The vocational training agreement fits within this broader bilateral engagement framework.
Whether the Ghana Youth Technical Training Initiative delivers promised outcomes depends on factors including curriculum quality, instructor qualifications, equipment availability, assessment rigor, and genuine employer demand for graduates. The Boafo ATS platform’s effectiveness in connecting graduates with jobs will also prove critical.
Ghana’s experience with previous youth employment programmes suggests that announcing ambitious initiatives proves considerably easier than sustaining effective implementation. The Youth Employment Agency, for instance, has placed thousands of young people in temporary positions but faced persistent questions about programme sustainability and whether participants gain skills leading to permanent employment.
For young Ghanaians considering this training opportunity when details become available, key questions include program costs, credential recognition by actual employers, realistic employment prospects upon completion, and whether training facilities and instructors can deliver quality education rather than simply processing participants through certification requirements.
The programme’s success will ultimately be measured not by enrollment numbers but by how many graduates secure meaningful employment, whether domestically or internationally, and whether acquired skills translate into sustainable livelihoods. Those outcomes won’t be clear for several years.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
