Named Skill-Up Ghana Project it would build on existing structures and strengthen institutional resources as well as help the system to be more relevant and effectively provide the skills needed in the labour market.

It is aligned with the outcome of the United Nations Sustainable Development Partnership (UNSDP), that encourages Competitive private sector generation of decent jobs that increase opportunities for more inclusive economic growth. 

Actions under the UNSDP focus on ensuring that quality market-responsive vocational education and training is more widely accessible, improving the employability of young people and the productivity of enterprises.

Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education, in a speech delivered on his behalf said despite the important role of actors in skills development under the informal sector they were not controlled by the government.

He stated that the majority of the people engaged in that male dominated sector often had no formal certification and called for it to be properly regulated and encouraged women to venture into that sector.

Dr Prempeh commended the International Labour Organisation and the Government of Norway for their role in helping to reform Technical and Vocation Education and Training in the country.

Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, The Executive Director, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) said the project was well aligned with the plan for TVET Transformation 2018 – 2022 and that it would drive quality and excellence of manpower, services and products for industry competitiveness in line with global market standards.

Additional he said, it would enable industries to generate reliable data on skills gaps, critical skills and manpower needs through research for the development of a robust labour market information system.

Dr Asamoah explained that it would serve as a platform that bridges education, training and industry to draw on common synergy for the development of occupational standards and curriculum that would address the knowledge and skills gaps required by graduates to make them employable.

"We will have a hub of industry 'think tanks' to advise government and state institutions on the development of relevant industry policies, market trends and strategic interventions that will make industries remain competitive within the economy," he said.

Dr Asamoah said in the light of Government flagship agenda of "Ghana Beyond Aid", the establishment of these sector skills bodies would surely be one of the strategic vehicles to realize the agenda.

Component one of the projects focuses on facilitating the establishment of sector-level institutional structures of skills governance based on partnerships among the 'Government, private sectors and other stakeholders.

Component two is designed to produce recommendations on how to address current and future skills needs.

These would be formulated and validated by stakeholders with the technical assistance of the ILO.