CITIZENS COMPASS—– The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ghana Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Service have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand access to certified vocational training for youth and returned migrants. The agreement, formalised in Accra, pairs IOM’s reintegration infrastructure with TVET’s nationwide training network, an acknowledgment that skills alone, without recognised certification, rarely translate into sustainable employment.
Under the partnership, the Ghana TVET Service will deliver technical and vocational training alongside soft skills modules and nationally accredited certification. IOM will handle youth and migrant identification, cover training materials and start-up kits, and ensure participants are enrolled in the national TVET database, a registration that opens doors to continued technical support and professional networks.
Approximately 100 returned and prospective migrants are expected to benefit in the initial phase, with provisions for scale-up. Joint efforts will also target fair recruitment practices and the development of standardised curricula, addressing a persistent gap between the skills migrants acquire abroad and what the domestic labour market formally recognises.
“By working with IOM, we are combining structured skills training with reintegration support that helps beneficiaries build sustainable livelihoods,” said Dr. Eric Kofi Adzroe, Acting Director-General of the Ghana TVET Service. “Technical and vocational education must directly support national development priorities while responding to the needs of migrants.”
In Ghana, limited access to employment opportunities and market-relevant skills continues to shape migration decisions, particularly among young people. Many migrants returning to Ghana face challenges rebuilding sustainable livelihoods and accessing economic opportunities that support their long-term reintegration within their communities. In 2025 alone, IOM supported the return and reintegration of more than 4,000 Ghanaian migrants, many of whom identified vocational training, certification and business support as critical needs for rebuilding their livelihoods.
“Skills development is a cornerstone of sustainable reintegration and a critical enabler of safe and regular migration,” said Fatou Diallo Ndiaye, IOM Ghana Chief of Mission. “Through this partnership with the Ghana TVET Service, we are creating practical pathways for returned and potential migrants to translate skills into opportunity, while reducing the risks associated with irregular migration.”
Beyond strengthening employability, the partnership contributes to national efforts to promote social and economic inclusion, support decent work opportunities and reinforce the link between migration, skills and development. By expanding access to certified vocational training and strengthening institutional collaboration, the initiative aims to better equip returned migrants with the tools needed to build resilient livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s economic development.
