The Vocational Training for Females (VTF) programme intervention in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) has engaged final-year student
The Vocational Training for Females (VTF) programme intervention in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) has engaged final-year students from selected technical schools in the Volta Region to prepare them for the job market.
Dubbed: “The Work Readiness Seminar”, it sought to provide support services and essential skills to enhance employability and job creation opportunities for TVET graduates.
The Director of VTF, Linda Agyei, explained that essential workplace skills were key for TVET graduates to prepare them for the labour market realities and dynamics. These skills are essential knowledge that students need to acquire, to shape their thinking and understanding of the work environment to prepare adequately for the expectations that await them after school.
She noted that employers were often disappointed in new employees’ lack of essential skills. “New employees do enter confidently with their hard skills and in no time, they are unable to meet organisational expectations because of bad attitudes and character inconsistency,” Ms Agyei said.
Labour market
“It is against this background that the VTF Programme, a not-for-profit organisation, has engaged with final year students in technical schools to orient them on essential skills needed to excel in the labour market.”
“Whether one works as a self-employed person or wage-employed person, good work ethics such as punctuality, honesty, critical thinking, serviceability, integrity, dependability, sense of responsibility, teamwork and diligence are traits that can endear one to the hearts of employers and customers alike, guaranteeing continuous business”.
Participants at the seminar were oriented on developing their Curriculum Vitae (CV) based on their internships with different companies to communicate their competencies and values to attract employment.
They were also taken through interviewing skills, how to be well prepared when attending interviews, communicate effectively and explicitly in answering questions, and how to comport themselves generally during the process.
The lead facilitator, Emmanuel Adentwi Jnr, encouraged the young people to portray positive attitudes and be mindful of their conduct and appearance in and out of school to shape their values in society.