Funded by the German Development Cooperation, the PASEWAY project was led by Plan International with YOTA as a local sub-grant partner. Located in three of Ghana’s largest metropolises, namely Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale, the project worked towards increasing formal employment opportunities for young people in the construction and hospitality industries by improving training and certification, creating job opportunities, formalising micro-enterprises, and creating an enabling environment for youth-friendly work.

Over the three-year period of the project, YOTA mobilised and supported 2,000 qualified young women and men and offered them a mix of soft skills training, vocational training, internships, and job placements. In partnership with the National Vocational Training Institute, 400 young women received vocational training in tiling, electricals, painting, plumbing, metal fabrication, welding, steel bending, POP, etc. In a male-dominated industry as construction, YOTA supported 200 young women through the vocational training and helped them to secure their proficiency certification in the construction value chain.

Hundreds of youths who already had some vocational skills through informal apprenticeships were supported to sharpen their skills, following which they also received proficiency certification through a special ‘Recognition of Prior Learning’ component.

More than 250 participants formalised their microenterprises by successfully registering their businesses and opening bank accounts. Under this project, YOTA established the Skills Hub – a multipurpose centre that has outlived the project’s curation to continue to promote youth innovation, business incubation and advisory services for youth start-ups, complete with career guidance and training in employability skills, digital skills and soft skills for young people seeking employment.