WUSC - World University Service of Canada

Published purpose

The Innovation in Non-traditional Vocational Education and Skills Training (INVEST) for women in Ghana project has been selected as part of the Innovation for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Ghana Call for Preliminary Proposals. The project will be using an inclusive market systems (IMS) approach to address key socio-cultural barriers to women’s participation in more lucrative, non-traditional and high-growth sectors. The project will focus on training and building capacity of young urban poor women in three main urban areas of Ghana and seek to improve societal attitudes toward women in trades and technology. The project will also build the capacity of local Technical and Vocational Education and Training organizations, as well as local training providers, to design and deliver gender-sensitive, competency-based, market-relevant skills training in high-growth sectors (such as electricity and electronics), focusing on employing young women. INVEST will also support the industry to hire, promote and retain women in the workplace. Female employees and industry partners will also receive technical assistance and training on labour rights, mentorship and coaching, in order to strengthen their capacity to support women within their chosen field. The project will directly benefit 5,000 women in the urban areas of Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi by helping them to develop skills to secure their employment or start their own business. Amongst the women that will be directly reached by the project, 80% (4,000) are expected to be between the age of 18 and 35 years old.