How can practical agricultural training help young people in Ghana access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities? The Accelerating Change Through Innovation in Agricultural TVET (ACTIVATE) Project aims to strengthen agricultural skills development and expand opportunities for young people through relevant, practical and industry-oriented training.
In an interview with Baobab Entrepreneur, Dr. Leticia Antwi, Training Manager at Social Enterprise Ghana, explains what the ACTIVATE Project is, how it works, who it supports and its vision for the future of Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) in Ghana.
Implemented by World University Service of Canada (WUSC) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the ACTIVATE Project has a five-year implementation period from 2024 to 2028. Social Enterprise Ghana serves as an anchor partner, contributing to the project’s training and skills development activities.
What Is the ACTIVATE Project?
The ACTIVATE Project stands for Accelerating Change Through Innovation in Agricultural TVET. It is an initiative designed to improve access to practical agricultural and vocational skills for young people in Ghana.
The project focuses on strengthening Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) to help learners develop competencies that are relevant to the needs of the agricultural sector and the wider employment market.
Through practical learning and skills development, ACTIVATE aims to create pathways for young people to pursue employment, establish businesses and participate in agricultural value chains.
The initiative reflects the importance of equipping young people with relevant skills that can support their economic participation and contribute to Ghana’s agricultural development.
How Does the ACTIVATE Project Work?
A key feature of the ACTIVATE Project is its emphasis on practical skills development and training that responds to real-world needs.
During the interview, Dr. Leticia Antwi explains the project’s approach to Competency-Based Training (CBT), a training method that focuses on developing and demonstrating specific skills required to perform particular tasks.
Rather than relying solely on theoretical knowledge, competency-based training places importance on what learners can practically do with the knowledge they acquire.
The project also combines formal and informal training approaches to support skills acquisition and provide different opportunities for young people to develop relevant competencies.
By promoting practical, industry-oriented training, ACTIVATE seeks to strengthen the connection between vocational education, employment and entrepreneurship.
Who Are the Target Beneficiaries of the ACTIVATE Project?
The ACTIVATE Project places particular emphasis on expanding access to skills development for young people, especially those who may face barriers to training and economic opportunities.
Its target groups include:
- Young people: Individuals seeking relevant skills to improve their employment and entrepreneurship prospects.
- Young women: Women who need greater access to vocational training and economic opportunities.
- Persons with disabilities: Individuals who may face barriers to accessing skills development and employment.
- Refugees and displaced persons: People seeking opportunities to develop practical skills and improve their economic participation.
By focusing on inclusion, the project aims to make agricultural and vocational skills development more accessible to a wider range of young people.
Social Enterprise Ghana’s Role in the ACTIVATE Project
Social Enterprise Ghana is an anchor partner in the ACTIVATE Project and plays an important role in its training and skills development sector.
Through its involvement, the organisation supports efforts to equip young people with practical, relevant and industry-oriented skills, particularly in agriculture and related areas.
Social Enterprise Ghana’s participation contributes to the broader goal of strengthening the relationship between skills training and economic opportunities for young people.
In the interview, Dr. Leticia Antwi provides insight into the organisation’s involvement, the project’s training approach and how ACTIVATE seeks to support young people in developing skills that can be applied in the workplace or through entrepreneurship.
What Are WUSC and the Mastercard Foundation’s Roles in ACTIVATE?
The ACTIVATE Project is implemented by World University Service of Canada (WUSC) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
WUSC leads the project’s implementation, while the Mastercard Foundation is the project’s funding partner. Together, the partnership supports the initiative’s broader objective of improving access to relevant skills development and economic opportunities for young people.
Social Enterprise Ghana contributes as an anchor partner, particularly within the project’s training and skills development activities.
The collaboration brings together project implementation, partnership support and skills development efforts aimed at strengthening Agricultural TVET in Ghana.
ACTIVATE Project: Five-Year Implementation Period, 2024–2028
The ACTIVATE Project has a five-year implementation period running from 2024 to 2028.
During this period, the initiative aims to contribute to a more inclusive and responsive Agricultural TVET system that equips young people with practical skills relevant to the agricultural sector.
Its focus on competency-based learning, formal and informal training approaches, inclusion and economic opportunities reflects the importance of connecting education with the skills required for employment and entrepreneurship.
The project’s broader vision is to help young people build the capabilities they need to participate in the economy and explore opportunities within agriculture and related industries.
Watch the Full Interview With Dr. Leticia Antwi
What makes the ACTIVATE Project different? How does Competency-Based Training support practical learning? And what role does Social Enterprise Ghana play in the project’s implementation?
Watch the full interview with Dr. Leticia Antwi, Training Manager at Social Enterprise Ghana, to learn more about the ACTIVATE Project, its training approach, target beneficiaries and vision for Agricultural TVET in Ghana.
Watch the full interview on YouTube: [Insert the YouTube video link here]
Key Topics Covered in the Interview
The interview explores several important areas, including:
- What the ACTIVATE Project is and its main objectives.
- How the project supports youth skills development in Ghana.
- Social Enterprise Ghana’s role as an anchor partner.
- Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET).
- Competency-Based Training and practical skills acquisition.
- Opportunities for young women, persons with disabilities, refugees and displaced persons.
- The project’s five-year implementation period from 2024 to 2028.
- The connection between vocational training, employment and entrepreneurship.
Conclusion: Expanding Skills and Opportunities for Ghanaian Youth
The ACTIVATE Project seeks to strengthen agricultural skills development and expand economic opportunities for young people in Ghana. Through practical training, competency-based learning and an emphasis on inclusion, the initiative aims to help learners prepare for employment and entrepreneurship.
With WUSC implementing the project in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, and Social Enterprise Ghana contributing to training and skills development as an anchor partner, ACTIVATE is working towards a more inclusive and industry-responsive Agricultural TVET system.
Dr. Leticia Antwi’s interview offers an opportunity to understand how the project works, the people it seeks to support and its vision for the future of agricultural skills development in Ghana.
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