The National Apprenticeship Programme says discussions are underway to consider the use of National Apprenticeship Certificates as part of the qualifications for recruitment into Ghana’s security services.

Deputy National Coordinator of the National Apprenticeship Programme, Fohad Agbenyadzi, explained that many skilled artisans are often left out of security service recruitment processes because priority is given to only formal education.

He said under the new arrangement, the scheme’s certificates to be awarded by CTVET will enable qualified beneficiaries to be enlisted into security services.

“If you go to a lot of these institutions, when they are doing their enrolment, they always look for these certificates from the tertiary schools, leaving behind people who have the skills. And so the plan for the programme is to ensure that, and that is the main reason why we are engaging CTVET, because these agencies would definitely want to see some national certificates before getting onto the programme. If you are going to be recruited as a mechanic in the military, I don’t think you need a master's degree to be able to repair cars at the mechanic shop,” he explained.

Fohad Agbenyadzi added, “that’s why we are collaborating with CTVET to ensure that our people also get a necessary training and also get certified by them, so that at the end of the day, if the military is looking for mechanics, they can follow the National Secretariat of Programme on NYA to be able to get people to get into the service and go and help in the repairing cars. If they want people to do fashion design or sew their clothes and other things, we know they have those units under each of these security agencies. So that’s what we are planning.”

He said this during a workshop in Koforidua to train about 400 facilitators in Competence-Based Training Methodology for the informal sector as part of the implementation of the program.

The first phase of the programme will enrol 10,000 apprentices after the accreditation of master trainers and training centres by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, CTVET.

A training curriculum has been developed for the master apprentices for effective training and standardisation.

Director for Accreditation, Assessment and Certification at Commission for TVET, Sampson Damptey Tettey, underscored the importance of certification and standardisation in the informal sector.

Some of the Master Apprentices commended the government for the initiative, stating it would help reduce youth unemployment.

The National Apprenticeship program was a key manifesto promise by the NDC. The programme launched by President Mahama will start with 10,000 apprentices and scale up to 100,000 by 2026.

It has been supported by a GH¢300 million allocation from the 2025 budget, to cover both training expenses and monthly stipends for beneficiaries, training equipment and startups.