44.8 percent of graduates from the universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions are said to be jobless, research data has revealed.

These graduates are believed to be in the age bracket of 22 and 25, a study conducted by Dr. William Baah-Boateng, a labour economist and senior lecturer at the Department of Economics, the University of Ghana has disclosed.

The study was based on 2006 findings, but the number of jobless graduates is said to have gone up following the implementation of the fiscal stabilization programme, spanning 2008 to 2012.

However, most of the jobs created during the period are vulnerable with limited or no social protection, the study indicated. Vulnerable employment has declined but still remains high.

Yearly, several graduates from the country’s tertiary institutions estimated to be in the region of 50,000 come out of school searching for jobs. This excludes those from the senior high school and the junior high schools, who number over 300,000.

Speaking in an interview with CITY & BUSINESS GUIDE after presenting a paper on the country’s unemployment rate and international competitiveness at a seminar organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) supported by the United Nations Development Planning yesterday, Dr. Baah Boateng said the country’s new middle income status is expected to be translated into the creation of productive and decent jobs else the economy will suffer.

He was optimistic that these graduates will find jobs after four years, noting some of these graduates do not even know where to go and find jobs. In 2006, about 2.6 million Ghanaians were not working or jobless with some deciding not to work.

Nana Owusu Afari, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), who also made a presentation, noted that industries do not need second and third degrees, urging young graduates to acquire skills and experience before doing so.

He urged government to support the training of graduates, adding that industry can only offer short courses and not the entire training programmes.

On competitiveness, Dr. Baah-Boateng said the inability of local expertise to compete effectively in the global platform impedes the country’s ability to create jobs and improve the welfare of Ghanaians.

“This could undermine the country’s potential of achieving the Millennium Development Goals 1 of eradicating poverty and hunger, and providing productive and decent employment for all.

The paper by IEA on Moving Towards Middle Income Country (MIC) Status: Potential Implications for Development Assistance and Achievement of MDGs in Ghana revealed that though Ghana may have recen