Over one thousand young people in the Northern Region have been enrolled in a comprehensive practical skills training programme aimed at improving employability and reducing youth unemployment.
The initiative is funded by the MasterCard Foundation and implemented by the Design and Technology Institute in collaboration with Accents and Arts Ltd, with a focus on equipping participants with hands-on skills that respond directly to the demands of the modern job market.
The training programme covers four key areas, including Precision Welding and Fabrication, Hospitality and Hotel Management, Software Development and the Fashion Design and Apparel.
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These sectors were carefully selected to reflect high-demand industries with strong potential for self-employment and job creation. Organisers say the skills acquired will enable beneficiaries to either secure decent jobs or establish their own businesses.
Youth unemployment has long been a major challenge facing successive governments, largely due to the disconnect between theoretical education and practical skills.
Many young people complete formal education without the hands-on experience required by employers. The current programme seeks to address this gap by prioritising practical training and real-world application of knowledge.
Speaking in an interview, the Principal of Dabokpa Technical Institute, Mariama Mahama, emphasised that practical skills are a key driver of national development.
She encouraged young people to develop interest in vocational and technical training, noting that practical knowledge empowers individuals to be innovative, productive, and economically independent.
A project team member of the Design and Technology Institute.
Mr George Acheampong explained that the programme is designed to help tackle the unemployment problem that continues to affect the country, particularly among the youth. One of the beneficiaries, Sellasi Ephrem, expressed appreciation to the organisers, stating that the training has shifted his mindset from a focus on purely theoretical education to embracing practical, skills-based learning as a pathway to success.
