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CSR Hyundai Motor and KOICA Launch ‘Hyundai-KOICA NextGen’ to Train Ghana’s Future Automotive Talent
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CSR Hyundai Motor and KOICA Launch ‘Hyundai-KOICA NextGen’ to Train Ghana’s Future Automotive Talent
CSR Hyundai Motor and KOICA Launch ‘Hyundai-KOICA NextGen’ to Train Ghana’s Future Automotive Talent
CSR Hyundai Motor and KOICA Launch ‘Hyundai-KOICA NextGen’ to Train Ghana’s Future Automotive Talent
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.
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.
Kyeongjin Kim
kyeongjin.kim@hyundai.com
Global PR Team 1 · Hyundai Motor Company
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About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation beyond mobility through advanced robotics and physical AI. The company invests in new technologies to bring about revolutionary solutions while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of a sustainable future for the world, Hyundai Motor will continue its commitment to carbon reduction as a full lineup provider with industry-leading ICE, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at: https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai
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About KOICA
The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is the Republic of Korea's grant aid agency, established in 1991 to support the economic and social development of partner countries. KOICA implements development cooperation programs in areas including education, health, rural development and technology, working with governments, civil society and the private sector. Its Inclusive Business Solution (IBS) program links corporate resources and strategies with official development assistance (ODA) to create sustainable economic, social and environmental impact in developing countries.
More information can be found at: www.koica.go.kr
About Plan International
Plan International Ghana is part of Plan International, an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls. Plan International works with children, young people, communities and partners to address the root causes of inequality and create lasting change.
