The Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) has organised a two-day capacity-building workshop on Workplace Organisation Methodology, commonly referred to as 5S, Occupational Health and Safety Standards, and Greening Pedagogy for the University Management and Competency-Based Training (CBT) Facilitators.
The workshop, held on October 15 and 16, 2025, formed part of a collaborative initiative under the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), with funding support from the European Union (EU), and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
The training, which enhanced participants’ knowledge and practical skills in maintaining efficient, safe, and environmentally sustainable work and learning environments in line with international best practices, was spearheaded by the Institute of Competency-Based Training and Research (ICBTR). It formed part of AAMUSTED’s ongoing comprehensive efforts to promote a safe and productive teaching, learning, and working environment in the University.
It also familiarised participants with the 5S Methodology for Continuous Improvement, highlighting its benefits for effective resource management and guiding the participants on how the 5S quality approach can foster an organisational culture that ensures a cleaner, safer, and more orderly work and learning environment.
By the end of the workshop, participants had developed and presented unique action plans for addressing the specific challenges faced by their offices, laboratories and workshops.
Addressing participants on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor of AAMUSTED, Prof. Frederick Kwaku Sarfo, the Director of ICBTR, Prof. Gilbert Owiah Sampson, described the initiative as a preparatory step toward the launch of an ‘AAMUSTED Cleaning Day’ in November 2025, to kickstart the University’s full implementation of workplace organisation practices and Occupational Health, Safety, and Environment (OHSE) standards.
He said, the initiative would provide the platform for the participants to share the knowledge acquired at the workshop with other staff and students to inspire confidence and improve the safety in the University.
The ICBTR Director emphasised AAMUSTED’s commitment to implementing internationally accredited safety and environment standards, ensuring both learning environments and workplaces maintained the highest levels of safety and efficiency.
“The positive outcomes of the workshop would transcend compliance to fostering a safety culture and drive innovation in the University,” he explained, adding that the knowledge would be subsequently transmitted to TVET Institutions in Ghana as AAMUSTED is the leading University in the formation of TVET facilitators.
The workshop was facilitated by GIZ’s Development Worker, Ms. Marion Gottmann, Pact for Skills: Support to the Transformation of the TVET System in Ghana at ICBTR – AAMUSTED.
The Facilitator said that AAMUSTED and ICBTR Management would carry out regular audits to assess the extent to which participants were implementing the 5S principles and OHSE standards, in accordance with the proposed action plans and checklists, and to ensure implementation.
