1,200 graduate from Design and Technology Institute
The Design and Technology Institute (DTI) has graduated 1,200 youth from its Mastercraft Persons and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) programme, including 58 persons with disabilities (PWDs).
The ceremony, which was on the theme: “Precision quality at work: Integrating the informal sector into the larger Ghanaian economy”, marked the completion of the second phase of Precision Quality at Work, an initiative under the DTI–MasterCard Foundation partnership.
The Founder of DTI, Constance Swaniker, described the graduation as not only a celebration of the trainees’ achievements but also the emergence of a new class of highly skilled artisans poised to redefine the role of Ghana’s informal sector.
Informal sector
She said the informal sector employed millions of Ghanaians and formed the backbone of the economy, from tailoring and beauty services to machinery fabrication and essential service delivery, but faced challenges such as inconsistent standards, low productivity, and limited integration into formal economic systems.
“This is precisely why the Precision Quality at Work initiative was conceived, to make our artisans competitive in the global marketplace, meet world-class standards, and operate with professionalism and integrity,” Ms Swaniker said.
She added that the graduates had acquired the tools, mindset, and discipline to become ambassadors of quality, stressing that “quality is not accidental but the result of intentional, consistent effort”.
Graduates integration
According to Ms Swaniker, integrating the graduates’ enterprises into the formal economy—through business registration, access to finance, compliance with standards, and continuous upskilling—would help build a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable economy.
“The Ghanaian economy is waiting for you to take your rightful place, not at the margins but at the centre of national development.
The products you make, the services you render and the businesses you grow will contribute to GDP, create jobs and project a new narrative of Ghanaian craftsmanship, one of excellence, creativity and global competitiveness,” she told the graduates.
