The Skill Gap between Printing Education and Printing Industry in Ghana (Published)
One of the objectives of Polytechnic Education (Technical University Education) in Ghana is the promotion of technical and vocational education and training, technology transfer and skills development to enhance the socio-economic development of the country. Polytechnic education plays a significant role in human resource development of a country by employing skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the status quo (quality of life). The main aim of the study was to identify and to address the gap between printing education and printing industry at Takoradi Polytechnic; so as to restructure the curriculum to reflect what is being done in the printing industry across the country. The literature review has been organized together with sub-headings as contained in the subsequent pages and have been reviewed in line with the views of scholars to help readers have an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the topic.The main respondents for the study included students and lecturers in the Department of Graphic Design Technology, Takoradi Polytechnic on one side and working staff of the selected printing firms in the Accra Metropolis. The researchers implemented the use of open and close type of questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and full-participant observational method in gathering data for the study. The study revealed that the Polytechnic Printing programme should be revised by the Polytechnic and the Department of Graphic Design to help produce skilled trained Graphic Designers to fit into the trending Digital Printing Industry. The study exposed that issues that are affecting the Polytechnic students in acquiring the necessary training and skills to march up to the Printing industry is the curriculum. If the Polytechnic curriculum is revised and students are provided with enough practical skills it is believed that the gap between the Printing Education and Printing Industry for the Polytechnic objectives will be achieved.
Keywords: Education, Printing Industry, Skills, Training, industralisation, polytechnic (technical university)