The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) in collaboration with the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), has unveiled a new business competition to empower women in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) trades.

The initiative dubbed “Women in TVET Business Competition”, will provide financial support to women graduate trainees and entrepreneurs of start-up and established businesses; to help incubate and scale up their enterprises in key male-dominated service, participants will have the opportunity to grow their business acumen and enterprises in an enabling environment and get exposed to major private sector and industry players in TVET sectors. The winners will also receive capital for the businesses.

The NEIP Project Director, Franklin Owusu-Karikari said, “in this period of Covid-19 when many people have lost their jobs and livelihood, I urge women to take advantage of this initiative to take a step to bring their ideas to life. It is high time we supported women entrepreneurs in male-dominated TVET trades.”

Speaking on the partnership between WUSC and NEIP on this project, the Director for INVEST, a project by WUSC, Appiah Boakye said, “the INVEST project seeks to explore sustainable opportunities for young women to curate TVET-businesses and become competitive in the marketplace. NEIP offers aspiring and current entrepreneurs’ access to a network of accredited service providers and resources set within an initiative solely focused on the advancement of youth through entrepreneurship.”

World University Service of Canada in collaboration with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme has identified entrepreneurship in the TVET sector as a strong pathway towards creating opportunities and empowerment for women. With support from the INVEST project, NEIP invites applications from women in TVET graduates, start-ups and established business owners interested in incubating or accelerating their TVET businesses within male-dominated trades to apply and be beneficiaries of this opportunity.

Interested applicants can access the online application form at http://neip.gov.gh. Hard copy forms are also availed at the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) head and regional offices. The application opens runs till Saturday, 25^th September, 2021. Enquiries on the application can be made through email: invest.neip@gmail.com or phone: 0209098371/0302737806.