Assessing Effectiveness of Workplace Experience Learning in HND Fashion Design TVET Programmes: Insights from Fashion Design Facilitators in Ghana

Purpose: This study examines the effectiveness of WEL from the facilitators' perspective, recognising their pivotal role in shaping student outcomes. By focusing on facilitators' perspectives, the study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of how WEL contributes to skill development, industry readiness, and employability for fashion design students, as well as to identify areas where the implementation of WEL can be strengthened to better serve both students and the evolving needs of the fashion industry in Ghana. Methodology/Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with WEL facilitators from four institutions: Sunyani, Kumasi, Bolgatanga, and Cape Coast Technical Universities, as part of a qualitative study design. A thematic analysis was conducted to identify tendencies in how WEL facilitates the advancement of entrepreneurship within fashion education. Findings: The study found that WEL enhances the development of entrepreneurial competencies by establishing a crucial connection between theoretical knowledge and practical business application. Participants indicated that students acquired essential skills, including self-efficacy, creativity, customer service, and business planning. Nonetheless, drawbacks were noted, including inconsistent mentoring, insufficient monitoring logistics, and a divergence between industry practices and academic goals. Practical and Social Implications: The findings indicate the imperative to enhance WEL frameworks by integrating entrepreneurship into academic curricula, formalising industry-academic partnerships, and employing digital technology for monitoring and support. Enhancing these components will enable WEL to align more closely with the nation's goals for the growth of the creative sector and young employment. Originality: This study positions WEL as a transformative learning environment for cultivating future fashion entrepreneurs, thus contributing a constructivist perspective to the discourse on technical and vocational education in Ghana.