Earlier today, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Honorable Lawyer Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Member of Parliament, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to cultivating a highly skilled workforce capable of propelling Ghana’s industrial transformation. She delivered the keynote address at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Integrated Industry Training, Entrepreneurship, and Database Hub (ITAED-HUB) in Accra.
This landmark project, initiated by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) through its Institute of Industrial Research (IIR), is designed to bridge the gap between industry requirements and technical skills training. It aims to equip young Ghanaians with practical, industry-relevant competencies and entrepreneurial capabilities.
Funded through the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) program of the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), with financial support from Germany’s KfW Development Bank, the Hub is anticipated to play a pivotal role in strengthening Ghana’s technical and vocational education landscape while supporting industrial growth and job creation.
In her address to stakeholders, Honorable Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare described the ITAED-HUB as a strategic investment in Ghana’s future, emphasizing that the facility represents a significant step towards preparing the nation’s youth for emerging opportunities in modern industry. She noted that findings from a 2025 UNICEF and Ghana TVET Service study revealed substantial gaps in competency-based training across TVET institutions, underscoring the need for innovative interventions such as the ITAED-HUB.
According to the Minister, the Hub will offer hands-on training in automotive technology, mechatronics, and CAD/CNC/3D digital manufacturing. It will also maintain a comprehensive labor market database to monitor industry skills demand and ensure training programs remain aligned with evolving economic needs.
She commended CSIR-IIR for securing the highly competitive continental grant and expressed gratitude to AUDA-NEPAD, the German Government, the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) for their invaluable support towards the initiative.
Honorable Ofosu-Adjare further highlighted the project’s alignment with the Government’s industrialization agenda, stressing that it will enhance local content participation, reduce reliance on imported skilled labor, and nurture a new generation of innovative entrepreneurs and technical professionals.
She also called upon industries, engineering firms, automotive workshops, and technology companies to actively collaborate with the Hub by contributing to curriculum development, providing internship opportunities, and facilitating employment pathways for trainees.
In his remarks, the Director-General of CSIR, Professor Paul P. Bosu, described the ITAED-HUB as a transformative intervention that reflects CSIR’s commitment to promoting research, innovation, technology transfer, and industrial development. He noted that the facility would serve as a vital bridge between research institutions, skills development centers, and industry, creating opportunities for young people while enhancing the competitiveness of Ghanaian enterprises.
Upon completion, the ITAED-HUB is expected to emerge as a national center of excellence for industrial skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, and workforce planning, contributing significantly to youth employment, industrial productivity, and Ghana’s long-term economic growth.
