GAEC orients 40 technicians for consumer electronics training

The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) held a one-day orientation session in Accra for 40 technicians to receive training in consumer electronics.

The eight-month competency-based training program, which begins in February this year and leads to the award of a certificate of National Proficiency II, is under the Ghana TVET Voucher Project (GTVP) and sponsored by KfW of Germany.

The training is designed to provide participants with the necessary skills to interact with, install, diagnose, and rectify minor and major malfunctions of various electronic devices that are commonly used in homes and workplaces. These devices include but are not limited to mobile phones, air conditioners, desktop computers, and refrigerators.

Speaking to the participants, the Project Coordinator of TVET at GAEC, Ms. Sheila Frimpong, underscored the importance of empowering electronic technicians with practical knowledge in consumer electronics to bridge the skills gap in the industry.

Ms. Frimpong, who is also the Deputy Director for Commercialization and Communication, pointed out that people often struggle to find electronic technicians to repair their home appliances, resulting in the unnecessary disposal of these devices.

"When my TV malfunctions, I struggle to find someone to repair it. Most of the time, I end up disposing of it. And that is just one tiny example” she said.

She encouraged the participants to view the training as a business opportunity rather than merely a sponsored educational endeavour.

“Personally, education loses its meaning if the business aspects are not considered. When you learn, and you know it, you must apply it. The consumer electronics industry has a lot of business potential. However, starting a business can be difficult, so I will advise that after completing this programme, maybe two or three of you could collaborate and launch a new venture” she admonished.

On his part, the President of the Ghana Electronics Servicing Technicians Association (GESTA), Mr. Andrew Gyan, urged the participants to take the training seriously and commit to learning as much as possible during their lessons.

"During training programmes like this, we sometimes start with a large number of participants, but then some drop out before the end. I believe that once you complete this programme, you will be able to pursue a career. So, I want to encourage you to apply yourself and acquire all the knowledge you need” he said.

Facilitators will be drawn from GAEC to instruct in Consumer Electronics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), entrepreneurship, Science, Mathematics, and English.

SIGNED

DR. MARK KWASI SARFO
MANAGER, COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS