Executive Director of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Mr Stephen Bismark Amponsah, said vocational training was becoming more complex and, therefore, needed qualified staff and requisite facilities to manage it.
He said vocational training is important for the development and growth of the country since it provided many job opportunities for the youth. He therefore called on all stakeholders to provide the necessary support to sustain such institutions.
Mr Amponsah said this when he met managers, directors and heads of vocational institutions at Biriwa near Cape Coast in the Central Region on Friday.
The Meeting, which was attended by managers of the 42 vocational institutes in the region, was to inform them about a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by NVTI and the National Board for Professionals and Technical Examination (NAPTEX) to enable NVTI graduates and students to pursue polytechnic programmes.
Under the programme, NVTI students who are about to complete their Certificate Two programme, would have the opportunity to study English, Mathematics, Information and Communication Technology, and Integrated Science to prepare them for a Higher National Diploma (HND) programme in any of the nation’s polytechnics.
The programme, which would commence in June 2014 in selected public vocational training institutions that have the requisite facilities, will also allow NVTI graduates to do a one-year access course in English, Mathematics and Integrated Science to be administered by NAPTEX.
Once they pass the examination, they would be admitted to the polytechnic to pursue HND programmes.
Mr Amponsah said the MOU would enable NAPTEX to recognize NVTI certificates and described the initiative as very good since it would boost the image of vocational school graduates who now had the option to either start their own businesses or pursue higher academic programmes to make them better qualified technicians.
He called on the various vocational institutes and the trainees to take advantage of the new programme to upgrade their skills to enable them to compete effectively in the global market.
Mr John Ocran, Commissioner of Trade Test of NVTI, said the programme is to ensure quality assurance and that all programmes currently being run by the various vocational schools would still be in place.
He said teachers would be given the requisite training to enable them to meet the demands of the additional subjects that would be introduced.
He advised the managers to effectively structure their programmes so as to attract more people into vocational training programmes, adding that vocational training gives a lifelong career opportunity to people.
Mr Amegbor Samuel Kwashie, Manager of BiriwaVocational Training and Rehabilitation Centre, commended both NAPTEX and NVTI for introducing the general skills course in the vocational training institutes to better enhance the skills and talents of trainees.
He said the programmes would also bring about competition and seriousness in teaching and learning.
