The Ghana TVET Service has entered into a strategic partnership with Tema Oil Refinery (ToR) in support of National TVET Week 2026, scheduled for 12 to 16 October, following an engagement at the refinery that underscored how closely Ghana’s skills agenda is tied to its industrial future.
The partnership will sharpen alignment between training and industry requirements by strengthening certification and ensuring that graduates meet nationally recognized standards for refinery operations. It will also open up structured Work Experience Learning placements at ToR, providing learners with direct exposure to plant operations and positioning them for future absorption into the refinery’s workforce.
For Tema Oil Refinery, the relevance of the collaboration is immediate. As the refinery prepares for expansion in the coming years, it will require a steady pipeline of skilled professionals including engineers, technicians, machinists and maintenance specialists to sustain its operations. The partnership reflects a shared understanding that industrial growth depends on the availability of competent, certified skills.
By supporting National TVET Week, ToR is also lending its voice to a broader national effort to address long-standing perceptions about technical and vocational education and to encourage more young people to pursue skills training.
Speaking on the importance of the collaboration, the Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery, Mr. Edmond Kombat Esq, described the partnership as an opportunity to change the narrative around TVET.
“For far too long, TVET has carried an unfair reputation as the option for those who could not go elsewhere,” he said.
The Deputy Director General in charge of Management Services at the Service highlighted that, “The National TVET Week 2026, supported by Tema Oil Refinery, is our moment to dismantle that perception. When Ghanaians see the refinery’s engineers, technicians and craftsmen and trace their success back to skills training, the narrative now shifts to one of dignity, opportunity and national progress.” said Fatah Mahama
Discussions between the two institutions also highlighted the importance of certification in a high-risk, high-precision environment such as a refinery. Certification is not a formality, but a requirement for safety, efficiency and reliability. This places a clear responsibility on the TVET system to ensure that training remains closely aligned with industry standards so that graduates are genuinely job-ready.
Responding on behalf of the Ghana TVET Service, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Management Services, Mr. Abdul Fatah Maigah Mahama Esq, noted that the partnership provides clear evidence of the value of skills training.
“This partnership helps us tell the compelling story of how TVET is shaping Ghana’s job landscape. Tema Oil Refinery is not just sponsoring a celebration it is standing behind the very workforce that keeps its plant running. That is living proof that TVET graduates are not the last option they are the first choice of Ghana’s biggest industries.” said Fatah Mahama
Central to the collaboration is the Service’s Work Experience Learning (WEL) programme, which provides learners with direct exposure to industry. Through this programme, learners move beyond classroom instruction to experience first-hand the scale, discipline and technological demands of refinery operations. This exposure helps bridge the gap between training and practice, while giving industry early visibility of the talent it will depend on.
Further reflecting on the significance of the partnership, Mr. Mahama stated:
“Our partnership with ToR signals a new era for TVET in Ghana,” he said. “When the nation’s premier refinery invests in skills training, it sends an unmistakable message to every parent and every young person: TVET is a pathway to the heart of Ghana’s industrial future. Together, we are building the skilled workforce that will power this country’s refinery sector for decades to come.”
National TVET Week 2026 will feature a series of activities, including policy dialogues, stakeholder engagements and industry-led events designed to reshape public perception, encourage enrolment and highlight the opportunities within skills training.
With Tema Oil Refinery now confirmed as a partner and sponsor, it joins a growing coalition of institutions supporting efforts to reposition TVET in Ghana, turning a week of engagement into a sustained investment in the workforce that will drive the country’s industrial growth.
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