The objective of the Training/Retraining Programme is to preserve and upgrade the human capital of affected workers and to facilitate their re-entry into productive employment at higher levels of performance. The programme will also help address the pervasive skills/competency gap while ensuring that the unemployed stay connected to the labour market. The programme seeks train about 15,000 workers in private sector education and hospitality and tourism sector.

The initial phase of the programme will target workers in the two main sectors:

Ø  Tourism and Hospitality; and

Ø  Private Sector Education.

These sectors have been most affected by the pandemic. As early as April 2020, some 23 percent of workers in the tourism and hospitality sector, had lost their jobs.  

The programme targets the following categories of workers in private education sector and the hospitality and tourism sector:

1. Workers who have lost their employment because of COVID-19;
2. Workers who have retained their jobs but working part-time and have time to enroll in a training/retraining programmes; and
3. Workers who have retained their jobs but are not working because their businesses have either closed temporarily or have scaled back on activities.

The training/retraining is focused on skills upgrading, work ethics, productivity and attitudinal change. It emphasizes vocational, technical and professional training and retraining. While addressing current employability challenges, a long-term perspective in the design of training modules ensures responsiveness to future skills and labour market needs.

Affected workers who take up the offer have two options. 

1. The first option is for workers who have the requirement and capacity to pursue existing academic programmes/courses available in the various training institutions. These existing programmes/courses are adjusted with add-ons that address the issues of work ethics, productivity and attitudinal change. These programmes are of longer durations usually between 6 and 12 months.
   
   
2. The second option is the core competency-based training programmes primarily for workers who do not have the capacity nor the time to pursue long duration academic programmes/courses. By their nature, the competency-based courses are of shorter duration and also have greater practical components.

All courses/programmes will not exceed one year.

Training will be delivered through combinations of classroom, virtual/online, and on-the-job training across the country.

The programme was developed through extensive consultations between government and key stakeholders such as:

• Steering Committee comprising of representatives from Ministry Finance, Ministry of Employment & Labour Relations, Organised Labour and Ghana Employers Association.
  
  
• Technical Committee including the Ministry Finance, Ministry of Employment & Labour Relations, Organised Labour and Ghana Employers Association.
  
  
• Other Stakeholders such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), National Teaching Council (NTC), Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) among others. 

Government is funding the cost of the training and retraining programme. Government will pay the fees for every worker who, enrol in the programme.

The programme would be implemented through collaboration between Government and selected public and private training institutions across the country, including Institute of Education - University of Cape Coast, Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA) – University of Cape Coast, Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management - University of Cape Coast, Hotel, Catering and Tourism Training Institute (HOTCATT), Koforidua Technical University, Academy of Leadership and Executive Training (ALET) – GIMPA, Hospitality and Tourism and Centre of Excellence (HTCE), Crystal Galaxy College, Tamale Technical University, Z-lutions Ltd,  and Management, Development & Productivity Institute. The training centres across the country are available on the application portal.  

  What are examples of specific training courses that will be targeted?

Private Education Sector

The selected courses for workers in private education sector include Certificate in Education, Top-up from Diploma in Basic Education: B.Ed (Childhood Education), B.Ed (Junior High School Education), Post Graduate Diploma in Education, Certificate in Educational Administration, Common Core Programme (CCP) Curriculum for Private Schools, Educational Leadership Course.

Hospitality and Tourism Sector

The selected courses for hospitality and tourism courses selected include Certificate in Customer Service, Certificate in Front Office operations, Certificate in Housekeeping, Certificate in Hospitality Entrepreneurship, Certificate in Event planning, Certificate in Tour guiding, Certificate in Travel Tour Operations, Certificate in Management Essentials, Kitchen Skills, Front Office Skills, Food and Beverage Services, Housekeeping Skills, Tour Guiding Skills, Conference, Banqueting and Event Management, Restaurant Management, Confidence Building, Social Media Marketing and Digital Selling, Emotional Intelligence, Conference, Banqueting and Event Management, Supervision and Performance, Food & Beverage Service, Chef Training, Bakery/Pastry Art, Cake Making and Decoration, Strategy Execution in Tourism and Hospitality Management, Airline Ticketing & Reservation, Productivity, Ethics and Attitudinal Change etc.

 Pre-requisite for the Training/Retraining Programme

The programme targets the following categories of workers in Private Education Sector and Hospitality and Tourism Sector:

• Workers who have lost their employment because of COVID-19;
• Workers who have retained their jobs but working part-time and have time to enroll in a training/retraining programmes; and
• Workers who have retained their jobs but are not working because their businesses have either closed temporarily or have scaled back on activities.

Criteria for Selection of Beneficiaries

Before filling out the online application form, applicants must ensure they meet the selection criteria and must have the following readily available:

Eligibility criteria are:

1. Prospective trainees must have worked in the Private Education Sector or the Tourism and Hospitality Sector before March 2020;

2. Applicants will be required to submit/upload the following information/documents when completing the application forms:

·         Appointment letter as proof of employment on or before March 15, 2020 (The self–employed must provide proof of their employment on or before March 15, 2020)

·         A Tax Identification Number (TIN);

·         A copy of any national identity card (to show proof of Ghanaian nationality);

·         A Tax Identification Number (TIN);

·         Social Security Number;

·         Introductory letter from current or former employer with following details, where applicable:

Ø    Institution name and location; and

Ø    Applicant’s position or title.