VTF programme takes ‘work readiness’ seminar to TVET institutions

The Vocational Training for Females (VTF) programme's intervention in the Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) has engaged final year students from selected technical schools in the Volta Region to prepare them for the job market. Dubbed: 'The Work Readiness Seminar', it sought to provide support services and essential skills to enhance employability and job creation opportunities for TVET graduates. Ms Linda Agyei, the Director of VTF, explained that essential workplace skills were key for TVET graduates to prepare them for the labour market realities and dynamics. These skills are essential knowledge that students need to acquire, to shape their thinking and understanding of the work environment so as to prepare adequately for the expectations that await them after school. She noted that employers were often disappointed with the lack of essential skills from new employees. 'New employees do enter confidently with their hard skills and in no time, they are unable to meet organisational ex pectations because of bad attitudes and character inconsistency,' Ms Agyei said. 'It is against this background that the VTF Programme, a not-for- profit organisation, has engaged with final year students in technical schools to orient them on essential skills needed to excel in the labour market.' 'Whether one works as a self-employed person or wage-employed person, good work ethics such as punctuality, honesty, critical thinking, serviceability, integrity, dependability, sense of responsibility, teamwork and diligence are traits that can endear one to the hearts of employers and customers' alike guaranteeing continuous business'. Participants at the seminar were oriented on the need to develop their Curriculum Vitae (CV) based on their internships with different companies to communicate their competencies and values to attract employment. They were also taken through interviewing skills and how to be well prepared when attending interviews, how to communicate effectively and explicitly to in answering q uestions and how to comport themselves generally during the process. Mr Emmanuel Adentwi Jnr, the lead facilitator, encouraged the young people to portray positive attitudes and be mindful of their conduct and appearance in and out of school to shape their values in society. Source: Ghana News Agency