The Ghana National Service Authority (NSA) has made a major policy change half of this year’s National Service personnel will be posted to private companies.
This move, led by Acting General Managing Director Mr. Felix Gyamfi, is aimed at equipping graduates with the right skills for today’s job market.
For many years, the National Service Scheme (NSS) has mainly placed graduates in government institutions. But the job market is changing, and the private sector now plays a key role in employment.
By increasing private sector postings, the NSA wants to ensure that graduates gain real work experience that matches industry needs.
This idea is not new. In 2017, the NSS encouraged private companies to accept more personnel, with a goal of reaching 50% private sector placement in the future. Now, that vision is finally becoming a reality.
In April 2024, the NSS launched the Deployment for Employment strategy, which aims to match graduates with jobs that fit their studies and career goals.
This is expected to help reduce youth unemployment by strengthening partnerships between NSS and private businesses.
To support this vision, the NSA is also working with professional organizations. For example, in August 2024, the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) partnered with the NSS to provide training for graduates in the surveying field.
These partnerships will give service personnel practical skills that increase their chances of getting jobs after their service.
To make these improvements sustainable, the NSA submitted a draft bill to Parliament in July 2024 to officially transition the NSS into an authority. This will give the organization more power to create programs that prepare young people for the job market.
With this shift, Ghana’s National Service is no longer just about serving it’s about building careers. This bold move could be the key to reducing graduate unemployment and shaping a stronger workforce for the country.
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