Ghana's Oil and Gas Sector Skills Strategy
The ILO's Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning/SKILL-UP Ghana project supported the Ghanaian Commission of Technical Vocation Education and Training (CTVET) in the establishment of the Oil and Gas Sector Skills Body (SSB) and developed a skills strategy for the sector. This strategy outlines the current and future skills and labour needs for the sector and sets out a comprehensive action plan to ensure that the supply of skills and labour meets those needs.
Ghana’s oil and gas sector is a key driver for the national economy in terms of attracting foreign investments and creating employment opportunities. It is regarded as a catalyst to move the country into the upper-middle income category. A skilled and productive workforce is needed to maximize this potential. However, evidence suggests that the sector lacks essential skills in a variety of occupational areas.
Skills mismatch and shortages are a common challenge in many countries, where job candidates and the existing workforce do not have the skills to meet labour market requirements. In response to this challenge, countries have been adopting a demand-driven skills development approach that aims to provide individuals with the current and future skills required by the labour market through more effective linkages between technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions and the labour market.
ILO’s Skill Up Ghana project supported the Ghanaian Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) in the establishment of the Oil and Gas Sector Skills Body (SSB) with the aim of implementing a demand led TVET offer for this sector.
ILO’s Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) approach was applied to the oil and gas sector, leading to the development of a skills strategy. This document, elaborated with members of the Oil and Gas SSB, outlines this strategy and the proposed actions to address the sector’s skill needs.