Core Technical Competencies in Ghana’s Fashion Technical and Vocational Education and Training Sector: A Comparative Analysis of Student Outcomes and Workplace Requirements

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which the technical competencies acquired by fashion students in Ghana’s technical universities align with the performance requirements of the fashion industry. Specifically, the paper seeks to identify competency gaps across fashion product collection development involving product planning, design production, and product marketing, and to evaluate whether current curricula adequately prepare students for strategic core technical competency demands in the workplace. A mixed-methods design was employed in Greater Accra and Volta, purposively selected for their relevance to fashion education and industry engagement. A total of 252 participants, involving 200 fashion student-interns and 52 industry operatives, were sampled across five competency domains: product planning, design production, product finishing and quality control, product marketing, and equipment operation. Data were collected through surveys, documentary analysis, semi-structured interviews, and the Planning-Production-Promotion (P3) Competency Psychometric Scale (Cronbach’s α = 0.81). This methodological integration ensured validity, combining statistical generalizations with qualitative insights to rigorously assess competency gaps and the alignment between technical university training and industry performance requirements. Consistent competency gaps emerged across domains. Students showed strengths in creativity, pattern making, and garment construction, but were less proficient in strategic skills such as data-informed product planning, iterative design, and machinery operation. Mann-Whitney U tests (p>0.001) confirmed significant differences across technical, digital, and transversal domains. These findings underscore the need for curriculum reforms that integrate advanced machinery training, data-driven planning, and iterative design to enhance employability and strengthen Ghana’s fashion Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector.