Centre for Social Policy Studies
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Item Choosing an apprenticeship: Skills preferences amongst the youth(International Development Planning Review, 2013-01) Aryeetey, E.; Doh, D.; Andoh, P.Young people leaving basic education with no opportunities of continuing on to the next level of education often face a tough choice of what to do next. There are a variety of issues that pose challenges for them, not least being what trajectory to pursue in their quest for skills training for employment. This article examines the precursors to skills choices among young people, using qualitative data from trainees engaging in both informal apprenticeships and formal and vocational training institutions in Ghana. The analysis adopted an inductive approach, using a thematic analytical framework to generate insights and uncover the factors that shape them. The findings show that there is interplay of several factors that influence the skills preferences of young people in vocational education, including the family context, socio-cultural environment and the presence of role models within specific trades. The paper concludes that, in harmonising the frontiers of skills training, it is imperative for policy to provide systematic career guidance and counselling paths for trainees in both formal and informal apprenticeship training institutions, in order to enhance their skills choices.Item Girls in Mining in Ghana: Surviving Without Flourishing(Centre for Social Policy Studies - University of Ghana, 2016-12) Doh, D.; Bortei-DokuAryeetey, E.; Ahadzie, W.; Lawson, E.T.Child labour is endemic in Africa and remains one of the biggest challenges facing Ghana. Child labour, by definition in Ghana’s Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560) refers to (harmful) work by children below the age of 18 years. Yet for many children and their families, child labour is a very important coping mechanism that helps them to fight poverty. Some scholars are beginning to soften their hardline stance on child labour, suggesting that many working children have successfully completed school. This report shares findings on an exploratory study of 165 girls under 18 years working in artisanal gold mines in Akwatia in the Eastern Region and Tarkwa in the Western Region in Ghana. Descriptive statistics from the study revealed that the majority of girls in mining were able to support themselves financially but simply could not cope with regular school, to be able to make positive advancements in their social development. Thus the girls were able to survive but could hardly flourish under the circumstances. Thus the observation that it is possible to successfully combine school and work among children therefore is subject to the conditions under which this occurs, and requires further field study.