Mentorship scheme to empower 1,000 women in TVET takes off

A non-government organisation (NGO), the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), has launched a mentorship scheme to empower 1,000 young women to pursue careers and participate in non-traditional vocational education and skills training in the country.

The scheme, "So Me Mu" seeks to match young women participating in male-dominated technical and vocational education and training (TVET) sectors with professionals for mentorship, guidance and support.

The four months programme which is expected to be held between August and November 2023 will accelerate personal and professional development of mentors and mentees, and create a community of young female technical professionals to establish networks, learn and grow.

It is being implemented through Innovation in Non-Traditional Vocational Education and Skills Training (INVEST).

INVEST project

The Project Director of INVEST, Appiah Wiafe-Adofo, at the launch of the scheme in Accra, observed that the INVEST project would ultimately like to see young women occupying positions and or create businesses and job opportunities in sectors that were lucrative and traditionally dominated by men.

To achieve this, she said social and cultural norms that have given way to barriers to entry into these spaces could not be ignored.

“We, therefore, believe that one of the ways to counteract expected challenges is to support these young women with enabling support services such as mentorship.”

“Having a network of professionals who have established themselves within the industry that trainees, apprentices and entrepreneurs can connect with helps to facilitate their journey into the labour market," she said.

She said selected mentors would be recognised for their volunteerism, expand their professional network, and also gain new skills through the training workshops to be conducted for them.

The Senior Development Officer at Global Affairs Canada, Suzanne Stump, indicated that Canada had contributed significantly to TVET since Ghana's independence in 1957.

This, she said, included support for various TVET institutions throughout the country.

She said that has evolved into support for women's economic empowerment through skills training, complementary entrepreneurship, business skills training, gender equality and the empowerment of women and youth.

“These are central to Canada's international assistance efforts around the world with the adoption of our Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) in June 2017,” she said.

While gender equality and women's empowerment have been long standing goals for Canada, she said the feminist policy was important because it asserted that these goals were central to development, prosperity and peace everywhere.

“This is why women's economic empowerment is priority and why Canada is pleased to support innovative initiatives such as INVEST which is reaching young women in three project locations in urban areas of Ghana: Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi,” she added.