Looking for Success Across Ghana’s Skilled Youth Population Robert Palmer, Roland Akabzaa, Leslie Casely-Hayford and Benedicta Sackey 16 September 2009

Context Ongoing TVET Reform in Ghana (since Sept 2007). E.g. Tech/voc/agric skills in upper-secondary More voc/tech institutes Formalise informal apprenticeship “ New” NDC govt. continuing with this & very keen on TVET. TVET policy-making in past largely not driven by evidence, but by politics and long-held, recurring assumptions about the school-skill-work links.

Ongoing TVET Reform in Ghana (since Sept 2007). E.g.

Tech/voc/agric skills in upper-secondary

More voc/tech institutes

Formalise informal apprenticeship

“ New” NDC govt. continuing with this & very keen on TVET.

TVET policy-making in past largely not driven by evidence, but by politics and long-held, recurring assumptions about the school-skill-work links.

Issue Addressed But some in Ministries (& TVET Council) who want more evidence on how TVET can be made more relevant to poor & want to learn from “success” stories to inform policy thinking. [Whether this desire for evidence from civil servants will be heard by politicians and the Cabinet is another story…] This qualitative research investigates the pathways young people use to escape poverty via skills training and work, and the role of education in this process.

But some in Ministries (& TVET Council) who want more evidence on how TVET can be made more relevant to poor & want to learn from “success” stories to inform policy thinking.

[Whether this desire for evidence from civil servants will be heard by politicians and the Cabinet is another story…]

This qualitative research investigates the pathways young people use to escape poverty via skills training and work, and the role of education in this process.

Methodology Data from 4 sites - collected 2006-08 About 140 interviews: i n-depth interviews young people (n=80) who acquired skills; key informants; vocational training institute profiling (not reported in this paper) Purposely selected 14 (out of 80) young artisans based on criteria of “success”

Data from 4 sites - collected 2006-08

About 140 interviews: i n-depth interviews young people (n=80) who acquired skills; key informants; vocational training institute profiling (not reported in this paper)

Purposely selected 14 (out of 80) young artisans based on criteria of “success”

Skill Pathways for Youth Majority of youth “ Success group” (this paper) Basic education or less Informal apprenticeship Basic education (or less) Upper secondary Formal TVET (for theory) Informal apprenticeship (for practical) Formal TVET (for theory) Informal apprenticeship (for practical) Combination Combination

Majority of youth

“ Success group” (this paper)

Effect of education on the acquisition of technical / vocational skills (1) Entry requirement for most formal TVET (basic education certificate) – especially a problem in north and for girls Formal (NVTI) certification @ end of training. Formal TVET – Full trade test (written & practical) vs proficiency test (practical only). Informal apprenticeship – only a fraction of take tests, more educated more likely to.

Entry requirement for most formal TVET (basic education certificate) – especially a problem in north and for girls

Formal (NVTI) certification @ end of training.

Formal TVET – Full trade test (written & practical) vs proficiency test (practical only).

Informal apprenticeship – only a fraction of take tests, more educated more likely to.

Effect of education on the acquisition of technical / vocational skills (2) 3. Education levels among informal apprentices Know that most (75%) are basic ed graduates, but issue of educational fragmentation has not been highlighted 4. Accessing more modern trade areas 5. Faster learners

3. Education levels among informal apprentices

Know that most (75%) are basic ed graduates, but issue of educational fragmentation has not been highlighted

4. Accessing more modern trade areas

5. Faster learners

Effect of education on the utilization of technical / vocational skills Access to formal employment through certification Full trade test & upper secondary certificates Access to contracts (for self-employed) through certification Communicating with customers (esp. English) Attract, maintain & access to higher-order customers Undertaking workplace tasks that demand a degree of literacy and numeracy in order for products/services to be of good quality Entrepreneurial sense, lifelong learning, networking, vision and goal-setting Gender disadvantage: Family, marriage, childbirth displaces women – loss of customers, time, earnings etc

Access to formal employment through certification

Full trade test & upper secondary certificates

Access to contracts (for self-employed) through certification

Communicating with customers (esp. English)

Attract, maintain & access to higher-order customers

Undertaking workplace tasks that demand a degree of literacy and numeracy in order for products/services to be of good quality

Entrepreneurial sense, lifelong learning, networking, vision and goal-setting

Gender disadvantage: Family, marriage, childbirth displaces women – loss of customers, time, earnings etc

Other Factors in Relation to “Making it” as an Artisan Providing good quality services and products to customers Doesn’t necessary depend on education level But education can help improve quality Engaging in multiple income-generating activities (& skills usage P/T in rural areas) Determination, and interest in learning skills

Providing good quality services and products to customers

Doesn’t necessary depend on education level

But education can help improve quality

Engaging in multiple income-generating activities (& skills usage P/T in rural areas)

Determination, and interest in learning skills

Realities Quantitative evidence: apprenticeship training does not lead to higher earnings when compared to those without apprenticeship. But… … there are >700k people doing informal apprenticeships – 60% aged 15-24 yrs (10 x no. in all pub/priv VTIs) … poorest youth are almost 20 x more likely to be doing informal apprenticeship than formal TVET (GLSS 2005/06) Clearly, govt. has an incentive to try to improve apprenticeships. Typical pathway for poor youth has been thro’ apprenticeship & our “success” stories have shown that it takes a combo of formal & informally acquired TVET to make entrepreneurs successful.

Quantitative evidence: apprenticeship training does not lead to higher earnings when compared to those without apprenticeship. But…

… there are >700k people doing informal apprenticeships – 60% aged 15-24 yrs (10 x no. in all pub/priv VTIs)

… poorest youth are almost 20 x more likely to be doing informal apprenticeship than formal TVET (GLSS 2005/06)

Clearly, govt. has an incentive to try to improve apprenticeships.

Typical pathway for poor youth has been thro’ apprenticeship & our “success” stories have shown that it takes a combo of formal & informally acquired TVET to make entrepreneurs successful.

Implications for Policy (1) Improve the quality of learning outcomes of basic education – key role in skill utilisation; Improve informal apprenticeship quality – accreditation; tailored + generalised interventions (to combat negative perceptions); incentives ;

Improve the quality of learning outcomes of basic education – key role in skill utilisation;

Improve informal apprenticeship quality – accreditation; tailored + generalised interventions (to combat negative perceptions); incentives ;

Implications for Policy (2) 3. Strengthen skill-to-enterprise transition; e.g.1. Not give away “starter-kits” (unsustainable), but develop innovative lending approaches (e.g. mutual guarantee approach) and innovative business support approaches e.g. 2. encourage multiple ventures. With 9/10 new jobs created in the informal economy, “demand-driven” training needs to take account of informal economy .

3. Strengthen skill-to-enterprise transition;

e.g.1. Not give away “starter-kits” (unsustainable), but develop innovative lending approaches (e.g. mutual guarantee approach) and innovative business support approaches

e.g. 2. encourage multiple ventures.

With 9/10 new jobs created in the informal economy, “demand-driven” training needs to take account of informal economy .

Looking for Success across Ghana’s Skilled Youth Population Contact emails: Robert Palmer: rob.palmer@norrag.org Leslie Casely-Hayford (AFC): comdev9@yahoo.com 16 September 2009

What was the criteria of “success”? Defined by respondents and interviewers’ observations. Included: Being able to make improvements in the quality of life for self and family (food, shelter, clothing, health, school costs, savings, business expansion); Being able to fulfil social obligations and support extended family - which leads to increase in respect; Being able to marry and form a family.

Defined by respondents and interviewers’ observations. Included:

Being able to make improvements in the quality of life for self and family (food, shelter, clothing, health, school costs, savings, business expansion);

Being able to fulfil social obligations and support extended family - which leads to increase in respect;

Being able to marry and form a family.