The Trends and Management of the Industrial Attachment at the Tamale Technical University, Ghana

Abstract

Academic attachment is increasingly becoming an integral part of training methodology across the various career-based training institutions today. This practice can be observed from the Educational and Health to the Technical and Vocational Tertiary Institutions. The Ghana’s Educational Act 745 of 2007 is to provide opportunities for skills development, which is one of the main objectives of the polytechnics and technical universities in Ghana. Thus, there is need for the industrial attachment as part of the core methodology of training students at the Polytechnics and the Technical Universities. This is realized by the harmonious coordination of the Training institution with the related industry for the said objective to be achieved. Of all the training methods used at the technical universities and polytechnics, Industrial Attachment (IA) is found to be the key to professional etiquette that accords the student the opportunity to marry the classroom theory with the reality at the working field. The paper reviews the historical background of industrial attachment, its relevance in the training process, the role of University and the other stake holders in industrial attachment (IA) and the general benefits of industrial attachment to the stakeholders. The paper also stressed on the challenges the industrial attachment programme is facing, and spelt out some recommendations for the success of the programme at the Tamale Technical University (TaTU). The review will guide the industrial attachment stake holders improve upon the industrial attachment status at the Tamale Technical University and beyond in enhancing multiple benefits and minimize the challenges.