The Ghana TVET Service has partnered with Tema Oil Refinery (ToR) to strengthen skills development and improve the alignment between technical and vocational training and industry requirements.

The partnership, announced ahead of National TVET Week 2026, scheduled for October 12 to 16, will focus on certification, industry-standard training and Work Experience Learning placements for TVET learners at the refinery.

The collaboration is expected to give students practical exposure to refinery operations while helping build a pipeline of skilled engineers, technicians, machinists and maintenance specialists for the oil refining sector.

Managing Director of Tema Oil Refinery, Edmond Kombat, said the partnership would help change perceptions about technical and vocational education.

“For far too long, TVET has carried an unfair reputation as the option for those who could not go elsewhere,” he said.

Deputy Director-General in charge of Management Services at the Ghana TVET Service, Abdul Fatah Maigah Mahama, said the collaboration demonstrates the relevance of skills training to Ghana’s industrial development.

“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,” he said.

He said the partnership would help position TVET as a pathway into Ghana’s industrial sector and provide learners with practical experience beyond classroom instruction.

A key component of the partnership is the Service’s Work Experience Learning (WEL) programme, through which learners will gain direct exposure to the scale, discipline and technological demands of refinery operations.

The two institutions also highlighted the importance of certification, particularly in refinery operations where safety, precision and reliability are critical.

Mr Mahama said the collaboration with ToR marked a significant step in connecting skills training with industry needs.

“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,” he said.

National TVET Week 2026 will feature policy dialogues, stakeholder engagements and industry-led activities aimed at promoting technical and vocational education and highlighting career opportunities available through skills training.

The Ghana TVET Service said the partnership with ToR forms part of broader efforts to strengthen industry collaboration and ensure that graduates acquire relevant, certified skills for the labour market.