Grohe, a leading global brand for complete bathroom solutions and kitchen fittings has financed the setup of modern plumbing at the Accra Technical Training Centre (ATTC).
The state-of-the-art facility which is to aids teaching and learning at the ATTC is under Grohe’s Installer Vocational Training Education (GIVE) programme.
GIVE is aimed at equipping the youth with the requisite skillset and knowledge for the sanitary industry to address the shortage of skilled installers in the industry.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Mrs Monica Ankrah, said Ghana was shifting to technical education to prepare the youth with technical and vocational skills for the job market.
She said technical education prepared the youth to create their own jobs rather than look for white-collar jobs.
Mrs Ankrah expressed gratitude to Grohe for the facility, saying it would help train the manpower skills needed for the sanitary industry.
She entreated the students to take good care of the tool provided for the training facility for other incoming students to enjoy.
The Greater Accra Regional Director of Education also entreated the management of ATTC to keep a good maintenance culture to ensure their long life span.
The leader of the GIVE Programme, Christopher Penney, said Ghana was the first country in West Africa in which Grohe was establishing a training facility.
He said under the GIVE programme, Grohe would support the training of more than 500 students in sanitary installations for the next five years.
Mr Penny said the students who underwent the GIVE training would be awarded an internationally recognized certificate, which could help them work anywhere in the world in the sanitary and water industry.
“The shortage of many skilled installers which is increasingly becoming a source of worry for many industry players challenged us to come up with GIVE as an innovative strategy to remedy the situation. As part of GIVE, we collaborate with technical and vocational training institutions who offer programmes relevant to our industry to train young talents,” he said.
Mr Penny said the existence of well-equipped training facilities with the right programme as very crucial to attracting and retaining many talents.
Antoine Kaissar, Leader LIXIL Emena North and West Africa, said the inauguration of the facility demonstrated how much Grohe was willing to invest in the country.
The Principal of ATTC, ArkoDometey, said the Accra Technical Training Centre was established in 1960 as a joint project by the Governments of Ghana and Canada to provide theoretical and practical instruction for the youth.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE