The Institute of Industrial Research (IIR) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a contract with FAS Consult and Faberchon Ventures (Joint Venture) a multi-disciplinary Ghanaian consultancy firm to deliver the construction of an ultra-modern TVET training facility in Accra valued at €3.3 million.
The project, known as the Industry Training, Entrepreneurship and Database Hub (ITAED HUB), was initiated under the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) project; which is funded by the German Investment Bank (KfW) through the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA/NEPAD) and is expected to provide innovative industry-driven employability and entrepreneurship skills to youth in Ghana and in the West African sub-region in Mechatronics and Automotive Engineering and CAD/CNC/3D Printing Technology and. The training center will train 360 youth within the first three years with a minimum of 30% female inclusion. The project will be delivered through a strategic partnership between the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and the Commission for Technical Vocational Educational and Training (CTVET). The three organizations have worked with internationsal experts to ensure that the project design meets modern industry demands and current employment needs of the youth in the country.
At the signing ceremony held at the CSIR-IIR campus at East Legon in Accra, the Director, Dr. Francis Boateng Agyenim indicated that the project comes as parts of efforts to bridge the skills gap in the three thematic areas and also help the institute to deliver on its mandate of technology transfer and industry innovation support for national development. The AGI will also deliver industry skills for trainees whiles providing strategic direction for the future. Developing curriculum for the training program will be the responsibility of the CTVET.
Dr. Boateng Agyenim emphasized that FAS Consult has been selected through a rigorous tender process and is therefore expected to deliver the project within the timeframe.
Mr. Elikplim Afenyo, Managing Director, FAS Consult who signed for his company, thanked CSIR-IIR for the confidence reposed in FAS Consult as a full Ghanaian firm that has the capacity to deliver on the project. He added that the deliverables captured in the contract will be delivered on time and within budget.
In all, the project is estimated to be completed within a 12-month period.
About the Project
The €3.5million project (Integrated Industry Training, Entrepreneurship and Database Hub (ITAED Hub) is a world-class hub in Ghana to nurture and develop local skills to meet dynamic industry and consumer needs through stronger partnerships with industry and research to provide increased opportunities for youth. The Hub will among others, focus on training in mechatronics and automotive engineering.
The Hub is timely in that it will create and strengthen industrial linkages to close up identified skills gaps. The key objectives include:
- To achieve establish a highly equipped international training facility with both human and infrastructural capacity.
- Support the development of a range of industrial driven accredited curricula targeted at training youth and artisans, graduates and non-graduates.
- Provide high-quality skills training to improve employment readiness and entrepreneurship in the youth; including marginalized sectors of society.
- Establish database of industries and skills to support employment mechanism that matches skills sets.
- Establish strong partnership between private sector, research and skills development through technology
The Hub will deliver training in mechatronics and automotive engineering with other programs in hydraulics/pneumatics, CAD/CNC/3D printing and digital skills to be added later. The project targets recent graduates from tertiary institutions or high schools who do not possess enough practical knowledge to get employed in industry, professionals from industry who have more than 2 years working experience and require an upgrade of skills and women and vulnerable groups from low-income families and peri-urban communities.
The project when completed will occupy about 2,200sqm total floor area with five state of the art labs, ultra-modern workshops, nursery, library, digital suit and the Industrial Innovation Hub. All these facilities will be fully equipped with specialized equipment.
