CONNECTING THE WORLDS OF LEARNING AND WORK: THE ROLE OF THE WORLD OF WORK PROGRAMME

The “World of Work” programme which is offered in leading universities such as Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, University of the West Indies and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Malaysia has been cited by the UK Government as an excellent example of employability practice. This Programme aims at ensuring that every student is equipped with the skills they need to stand out from the crowd and successfully engage in the world of work, either because they possess skills which are highly valued by employers or because they are well equipped to set themselves up in their own business. It therefore provides valuable information on industries, jobs, career paths, and training programmes to equip students to be able to explore possible careers that match their interests and skills. There is no doubt that the preparation of our graduates for success in their chosen occupations is dependent on a wider range of skills and personal attributes acquired beyond academic capabilities. The World of Work programme has therefore been devised as the means by which the trainee can acquire key “employability skills” through workshops, professional mentorship by captains in industry and commerce, job fairs, etc. to improve their chances of gaining employment or becoming entrepreneurs in the present highly competitive market. This paper presents a conceptual framework of the World of Work programme at Accra Polytechnic which aims at bridging the divide between school and work to improve teaching and learning in the Polytechnic