Soft Skills Development and Employability in TVET: A Pilot Study of Learning Models in Ghana

This randomized controlled trial pilot evaluates the effectiveness of two models – Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Workplace Experience Learning (WEL) – in enhancing soft skills for employability among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students. The study addresses two research questions: 1) "Which training model best improves the development of industry-relevant soft-skills among TVET students?" and 2) "Which soft skills contribute most to employability among TVET graduates?" The study randomizes 1,170 senior-year students in TVET institutions across Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Volta regions into three groups: PBL (classroom-based simulated workplace), WEL (structured actual workplace internships), and a control group receiving standard training. Over six months, we will track soft skills development, employability status, and potential earnings through employer-verified surveys and behavioral assessments. The technical design includes stratified randomization by school, trade area, and gender, with power to detect at least 10-percentage-point employment effect.
 

Practically, the study will inform Ghana's $200M Jobs and Skills Program and ongoing TVET curriculum reforms. Conceptually, it contributes new evidence on soft skills effectiveness in labor markets, advancing knowledge on behavioral economics, and workforce readiness in emerging economies. Distributionally, the study will examine differential impacts for women, rural youth, low-income graduates, and others. Implemented in partnership with Ghana TVET Service and the Association of Ghana Industries, findings will guide a potential full-scale RCT, while providing immediate insights for workforce development policies. As a pilot, this study will test implementation feasibility and generate preliminary effect sizes to support larger-scale evaluation and policy adoption across West Africa.