Skill-Based Competence and Competitiveness in the Garment-Manufacturing Firms of Ghana.

Abstract

This study examines the skills competence of workers in the garment firms and skills-based competitiveness of the garment industries of Ghana. A total of 34 garment firms made up of 27 firms registered with the Association of Ghana Industries and seven firms registered with the Ghana Free Zones Board, as well as 205 workers of the garment industries were selected for the study. The Explanatory Sequential Mixed Method Approach was used for the study in which the quantitative process was first used, followed by the quantitative process. Data were gathered using questionnaires and followed by interviews of some selected workers and management of garment firms. The quantitative data was analysed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and Simple Linear Regression while the interviews were analysed using Thematic Analysis. The results show that the garment firms in Ghana have high levels of skills gaps and shortages in critical skills areas of garment production, such as in computer-aided design, machine repairs, and quality assurance, among others. As a result of the skills gaps and shortages many of the garment firms are operating at a competitive disadvantage. Therefore, it is recommended that the garment firms should collaborate with academic and training institutions to increase the skills capacity of garment workers. Garment firms should also adopt competitive manufacturing strategies such as the use of technology, low-cost and added-value manufacturing among others to increase competitiveness. Finally, the Department of Labour should conduct periodic labour skills analysis so that up-to-date information about labour competencies, challenges and opportunities are known to academics, policy makers and industrial who depend on such information for human resource planning. The labour analysis can be done through some sort of liaison with COTVET and AGI as partners.