Out of a high-end artistic products business founded in the year 2000, a fully-fledged technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institute has been established in the year 2016. This success story can only be achieved by people who are creative, innovative, bold, and ambitious. Moreover, seeing the need to provide the youth with employable skills while bridging the gap between industry and academia is a trait of visionary leaders. There is no doubt about the fact that Miss Constance Swaniker, the founder and CEO of Design and Technology Institute (DTI) is a visionary leader of excellence. Therefore, bringing DTI into existence to cater to the needs of the youth and young adults in the TVET landscape for the world of skills and work shows the resilience of the institution, especially in situations of economic downturn amidst COVID-19.
This publication highlights how DTI over the years has built resilience in TVET in Ghana for skills and jobs. Also, the publication seeks to suggest how DTI could add to its TVET welding curriculum towards international competitiveness. Currently, DTI is the only institute in Ghana and West Africa that offers a dual TVET system, where theoretical and hands-on training is provided within production settings. In simple terms, students of DTI have the platform to acquire relevant knowledge and learn the needed skills for product conceptualisation, product development, product manufacturing, and product management including human capital management. Thus, students have the option to choose from three major programmes such as the Precision Welding and Fabrication Programme, Design Innovation Programme, and the Entrepreneurship Programme.
The findings of this publication also show that DTI’s training facilities are:
A) Equipped with modern production and manufacturing equipment and tools.
B) Well-structured in line with internationally agreed health and safety standards.
C) Well-structured to provide a human-friendly environment.
D) Aesthetically laid out to enhance human-machine collaboration and learning.
E) Laid out to facilitate quality, productivity, and efficiency in product manufacturing.
One of DTI’s prime facilities is the precision welding and fabrication unit. The welding machines and equipment comprise MMA, TIG, MIG/MAG, and FCAW. The quantity of equipment is adequate for each student to have access to at least one welding machine at a time. Having the opportunity to interview a few students about their views on DTI, it was fulfilling to note that most students (about 70-80%) secure employment in different industrial sectors even before graduation. However, students who remain unemployed after graduation are given opportunities to sharpen their skills in the institution as they plan to seek either paid employment or venture into self-employment.
In addition, the findings of this publication corroborate with empirical data obtained from trusted news outlets, especially on how DTI is implementing in practice and promoting gender equality, youth employment and entrepreneurship, and digital transformation in TVET. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) and greening TVET are other essential programmes DTI is promoting and implementing in practice. As a private sector entity, DTI’s engagement with other private sector companies and public sector institutions, both domestic and international, shows the institute’s readiness to synergise collective investment for the mutual development of TVET in Ghana for skills and work. Typical examples include DTI’s campus expansion (a 1-acre campus at East Legon to a 10-acre campus at Berekuso, opposite Ashesi University) as a result of receiving funding of about 3 million EUR from the African Union Development Agency (AUDA), the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) and the German state-owned investment and development bank (KfW). Also, receiving support from Mastercard Foundation (MF) to enable over 90 per cent of students including females and the vulnerable to obtain scholarships to attend DTI tantamount to building a brighter future for the youth of Ghana and generations to come.
Being accredited by the Commission of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), DTI’s education and skills training curriculum follows the National TVET Qualification Framework (NTVETQF). However, while providing education and training according to the NTVETQF, it will be beneficial for DTI to offer internationally accredited programmes to bridge the gap between domestic and international competitiveness. DTI should consider tailoring its precision welding and fabrication programme to internationally agreed standards to fully demonstrate compliance with international welding quality requirements. As Ghana is a member country of the International Institute of Welding (IIW), the process of DTI attaining an Approved Training Body (ATB) status with the IIW will be smooth and hassle-free. This action will help DTI to holistically adopt global best practices in welding and joining, and benefit from the international recognition and business opportunities such a move will bring to Ghana as a whole. Thus, attaining an ATB status will further help DTI to educate and train its instructors to ISO 14731 and ISO 9712 standards per the IIW-International Authorisation Board (IAB) education, training, qualification and certification framework. Trained instructors of DTI will in turn train welders according to the ISO 9606 standard. Therefore, at the welding personnel level, DTI can then issue international welding certificates and qualification diplomas in these categories: International Welding Specialist (IWS), International Welding Practitioner (IWP), International Welding Inspector (IWI), International Welder (IW), etc. In addition, DTI will be in the position to assist companies that perform welding projects in Ghana to be qualified and certificated according to ISO 3834 standards to be competitive and able to manufacture and provide turnkey welding engineering projects and services for the global market.
In conclusion, DTI is uplifting the image of TVET in Ghana through responsiveness, agility, and resilience. For DTI to maintain its resilience, the institute deserves massive financial support as AUDA, KfW, SIFA and MF have demonstrated. Finally, DTI exhibits potential to position welding in Ghana within the global community to spur international qualification and certification, youth employment, and promote investment in welding and allied joining technologies across the West African Region.
By Dr Emmanuel Afrane Gyasi
[Dr Emmanuel Afrane Gyasi is a Mechanical Engineer, an IWE candidate @ TWI, UK, a Facilitator in TVET, a Researcher and Lecturer, and a Social Entrepreneur.]
Contact: kwakuamoafo@yahoo.com; what’s App: +233207341037
