WOMEN IN TVET BUSINESS COMPETITION
The Women in Technical Vocational Engineering and Technology (TVET) Business Competition will provide technical and financial support to women graduate trainees and entrepreneurs (start-ups and established businesses) to help incubate and/or scale their enterprises in key male-dominated trades.
Benefits will include;
- access to business development services geared towards entrepreneurship enhancement
- peer support networks
- start-up capital (for competition winners).
The Program which runs annually (2021 – 2025), is a joint collaboration between National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP) and WUSC. Beneficiaries will have the opportunity to grow their business acumen and enterprises in an enabling environment, whereby they are exposed to the major private sector and industry players in technical sectors through activities such as pitching competitions.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be women aged 18 years and above.
- Must be a graduate trainee or entrepreneur (including start-up) in one of the competition’s eligible TVET sectors
- Should reside or operate their business in Accra/Tema, Kumasi or Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.
- Applying TVET business should be owned and operated by a woman.
- Aspiring participants should either have an idea that requires support to develop into a business, or an entrepreneur that needs business development services to scale.
- Should have an interest in advancing the involvement and progression of young women in non-traditional TVET trades.
Eligible TVET Sectors
- Manufacturing & Engineering (Example: Welding & Fabrication, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Auto-Electrician, Auto-Mechanic etc.)
- ICT, Electronics & Automation (Example: Programming, Network Administration, Database Administrator etc.)
- Extractives (Example: Mining, Oily & Gas, Quarry, etc.)
- Construction (Example: Masonry, Carpentry & Painting etc.)
- Energy (Example: Electrical Installation, Solar Installation, Biogas, etc.)
NOTE: Photo representation
INNOVATION FUND FOR FEMALE EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
The Innovation Fund is a demand-driven response to two critical challenges; a) workplace solutions for female employees (physical environment), and b) skill training towards enhancing technical competence of female employees for increased productivity and practical innovations. The Fund is expected to contribute to enhanced access to decent work for women, and ultimately, improved economic empowerment, well-being, and inclusive economic growth for women in Ghana.
Fund Windows
The fund is open to employment development projects within two windows as outlined below:
- Workplace solutions for female employees(physical environment)
Funding will be available to companies that would like to renovate or expand infrastructure that creates a conducive work setting for female employees. Such as:- changing rooms for women
- separate washrooms (toilet and/or bathrooms) for males and females with female washrooms having the needed sanitary essentials
- daycare center at the workplace for employees
related physical environments that create conducive work settings for female employees
- Skills training
Eligibility Criteria
The fund will be eligible to companies in INVEST focus sectors, i.e. construction, electronics, extractives, energy, automation, engineering and ICT. Specifically, the firm:
- Should be registered with the Registrar General’s Department
- Should have a Tax Identification Number (TIN)
- Must operate in Accra and Tema (Greater Accra in general), Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis
- Must have not less than 5 female employees (casual and/or permanent) or over 30% of employees must be females
- Should have financial statements covering at least the last three (3) years – audited statements, preferred
- Should have a business operating permit from the district assembly and any Competent Authority as applicable
- Must prove or demonstrate willingness to hire and retain women at the workplace
- Must demonstrate financial capacity to co-finance (in cash) the initiative proposed. In rare cases, in-kind contributions from applying companies will be accepted but not beyond an agreed percentage of total project cost.
The interventions designed for the Innovation Fund are intended to support private sector employers to initiate innovative workplace solutions and skills training that enhances the experience of female employees at the workplace