Ghana’s leading private TVET institution, the Design & Technology Institute (DTI), has joined the American Welding Society’s (AWS) Schools Excelling through National Skills Education (SENSE) programme as a training institution member.

The AWS is the highest authority in welding and fabrication worldwide. Established in 1919, it sets the gold standard for welding education, certification and research and shapes the industry's future globally.

The SENSE programme is a globally recognised benchmark, equipping students with the precision, safety, and technical expertise demanded by leading industries.

Its registered training organisation requires institutions to meet rigorous standards for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving welding training. 

It is a comprehensive set of minimum standards and guidelines established by AWS for welding educators to follow when developing their welding training curriculum. While comprehensive, these standards are flexible enough to be readily implemented by any welding programme.

The programme gives DTI a competitive advantage and publicly demonstrates the institute’s commitment to providing high-quality training compliant with international standards. The certification applies to all DTI Precision Welding and Fabrication programmes.

This means DTI will now offer two levels of certification: Entry (Level I) and Advanced (Level II).

Commitment to quality

Speaking about the membership, the Founder and President of DTI, Constance Swaniker, said the AWS membership signified the institute’s commitment to developing and training top-notch professionals for industry.

“As the first Institute in Africa to join the AWS SENSE programme, this membership signifies our commitment to developing and training high-quality learners for industry.

For our learners and stakeholders, it assures them of enhanced training modules, compliance with international standards, and trust in our ability to train qualified workforce while enhancing the educational experience,” she said.

She said the membership was also significant because it establishes a framework for implementing, maintaining and continually improving teaching and learning. It also demonstrates the institute’s commitment to providing relevant skills training, mitigating skills gaps, and reducing unemployment.

Ms Swaniker stated that by aligning with the AWS SENSE programme, DTI was pioneering a momentous change in technical education in Africa.

This partnership would ensure that graduates would meet the rigorous standards of local and international industries, bridge the technical skills gap, fuel innovation, and position Africa as a hub for industrial growth and global competitiveness.