The Design and Technology Institute (DTI) has hosted the Director-General of the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Mr. Zakaria Sulemana, and his delegation to explore deeper collaboration aimed at strengthening Ghana’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem.
The engagement, held at DTI’s Mempeasem campus in East Legon, forms part of the Institute’s efforts to work closely with national regulators to improve quality assurance, certification pathways and scalable models for skills development.
Mr. Sulemana was accompanied by Mr. Kwame Zu, Deputy Director-General (Technical Operations); Mr. Sampson Tetteh Damptey, Director of Accreditation, Assessment and Certification; and Mrs. Edith Adotey, Principal Manager for Standards, Curriculum Development and Enforcement.
They were received by Ms. Constance Swaniker, Founder and President of DTI, alongside members of the Institute’s leadership team.
The delegation toured DTI’s Welding and Fabrication workshops, CAD/CAM laboratory, Multimedia and Sound Studios, creative arts facilities and learning centres.
During the tour, the CTVET officials interacted with learners and faculty and observed practical demonstrations in various technical and creative disciplines.
Mr. Sulemana commended the high level of organisation within the workshops, the discipline exhibited by learners, and the strong emphasis on competency-based training.
He highlighted the effective integration of theory and practical work, the alignment of training activities with industry expectations, and DTI’s structured systems for monitoring performance and ensuring quality.
A key focus of the discussions was the alignment of Ghana’s national occupational standards with internationally recognised competencies.
DTI is accredited by the American Welding Society (AWS) under the SENSE programme—making it the first AWS SENSE-accredited institution in Africa—and also delivers Pearson BTEC qualifications in Creative Media and Engineering.
The dialogue examined how these international programmes could align more closely with national certification pathways under CTVET to ensure learners receive both global recognition and national validation.
The parties also considered broader technical cooperation to support the credibility and competitiveness of Ghana’s TVET system locally and internationally.
The engagement further explored ways to synchronise skills training with Ghana’s industrialisation agenda.
Discussions touched on labour market forecasting, the role of industry in curriculum development, integrating certified skills requirements into major infrastructure projects and leveraging public–private partnerships to expand impact.
Mr. Sulemana stressed that effective skills development was central to national productivity and employment creation, noting that collaboration between regulators and institutions such as DTI is essential for sustainable growth.
Ms. Swaniker expressed appreciation for the visit and the Commission’s feedback, reaffirming DTI’s commitment to quality training and regulatory alignment.
“We are encouraged by the Commission’s positive impressions and strategic guidance,” she said.
“Our mission is to deliver industry-relevant training that leads to measurable employability outcomes while ensuring consistency, credibility and global competitiveness across the TVET ecosystem.”
The visit underscores DTI’s growing role in Ghana’s skills development landscape and highlights increasing emphasis on collaborative solutions to youth employment, workforce readiness and industrial transformation.