Hyundai Motor and KOICA Launch ‘Hyundai-KOICA NextGen’ to Train Ghana’s Future Automotive Talent

ACCRA, September 4, 2026 – Hyundai Motor Company and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) today officially launched ‘Hyundai-KOICA NextGen’ in Ghana, the first project under Hyundai Motor’s global Creating Shared Value (CSV) initiative, ‘Hyundai Continue,’ focused on technology education and workforce development.

Developed under KOICA’s Inclusive Business Solution (IBS) program and implemented in collaboration with Plan International Korea and Plan International Ghana, the project aims to strengthen Ghana’s automotive workforce by training skilled maintenance technicians and building sustainable industry-academia collaboration.

The launch ceremony was held in Accra on September 3 and attended by key representatives from Hyundai Motor, KOICA and partner organizations, including Jae Sun Yoo, Team Leader of Hyundai Motor M.East & Africa Headquarters Marketing & Communication Team; Dongwan Woo, Country Director of the KOICA Ghana Office; Ing. Dr. Eric Kofi Adzroe, Director-General of Ghana TVET Service; and Frederick Tei-Nobi, Acting Country Director of Plan International Ghana.

“With the launch of this project, Hyundai Motor will continue its technology talent development program to strengthen the competitiveness of the automotive industry. Through an updated curriculum covering the latest developments in hybrid and electric vehicle maintenance, we are equipping Ghanaian youth with future-ready skills and empowering them to play a meaningful role in the continued growth of Ghana's automotive industry. We look forward to seeing the lasting impact this project will have on thousands of young people and their communities.” – Joongsun Ko, Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Planning at Hyundai Motor Company

“This project translates the shared commitment of Korea and Ghana into practical action by connecting skills development with industry needs, employment and entrepreneurship. By bringing together Hyundai Motor’s technical expertise, KOICA’s development cooperation expertise, Plan International’s experience in youth empowerment and the leadership of our Ghanaian partner institutions, we aim to create new opportunities for young people and help build a stronger, more future-ready automotive sector in Ghana.” – Dongwan Woo, Country Director of the KOICA Ghana Office

“For Plan International Ghana, this partnership is closely aligned with our commitment to creating opportunities that enable young people to build secure, productive and fulfilling futures. We are proud to be part of this journey, and we look forward to working with all our partners to ensure that Hyundai-KOICA NextGen delivers meaningful and sustainable results.” – Frederick Tei-Nobi, Acting Country Director, Plan International Ghana

Ghana is emerging as a key automotive hub in West Africa, but limitations in its workforce development system and barriers to youth employment are restricting the country's industrial competitiveness.

A baseline assessment conducted during the project planning phase identified several areas where additional support and investment are needed. For example, 80 percent of educational institutions lack an up-to-date curriculum and 70 percent of educational equipment currently in use is more than 10 years old. Furthermore, only a quarter of instructors possess electronic diagnostic knowledge and just 12.5 percent have experience with EVs. 

These challenges have highlighted the need to better align workforce skills with evolving industry demands. Employer satisfaction with technical education graduates stands below 40 percent, while formal industry-academia cooperation and support for vulnerable youth also remain limited.

The project centers on three main areas:

• Establishment of two maintenance technology education centers: Providing training to teachers on the updated curriculum, with trained teachers disseminating knowledge to students at nearby technical schools. The centers will feature hands-on practical maintenance facilities for comprehensive skill development. 
• Curriculum development: Enhancing the existing internal combustion engine curriculum and introducing new hybrid and electric vehicle maintenance curricula, both to be certified by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Educational Training (CTVET), under Ghana’s Ministry of Education. 
• Employment and startup support: Providing scholarships and internship opportunities for vulnerable young students, hosting annual job fairs and delivering startup education and consulting services to facilitate the transition from education to employment and entrepreneurship.

The Hyundai-KOICA NextGen Project is expected to support a total of 405 local youth and teachers through strengthened technical education, internship opportunities and pathways to employment and entrepreneurship.

Hyundai-KOICA NextGen Project addresses outdated curricula, limited teacher competency and aging equipment. It is designed to build a sustainable pipeline of skilled technicians who can meet the demands of a modernizing automotive sector, including the shift toward hybrids and EVs.

The project builds on Hyundai Motor’s ongoing commitment to global CSV projects under the global Hyundai Continue initiative, reinforcing the company’s mission to create lasting social value in the communities where it operates.