Over 3,200 to receive technical, entrepreneurial training
More than 3,250 unemployed Ghanaian youth between the ages of 18 and 35 have been targeted to receive intensive technical and entrepreneurial skills training this year under the Precision Quality Internship Programme.
The participants will acquire skills in precision welding and fabrication, fashion and apparel design, electrical systems, carpentry, upholstery, software development, computer-aided design and manufacturing, as well as business skills and professional development.
Orientation sessions in Accra and Tamale last Monday attracted more than 1,000 participants, marking the start of the second year of implementation.
The programme, designed by the Design and Technology Institute (DTI), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, operates across Accra, Ho, Kumasi and Tamale.
It is being implemented by Accents and Art, a manufacturing company and the lead industry partner supporting DTI’s dual TVET (Technical, Vocational Education and Training) model.
The programme compresses the experience of a traditional three-year apprenticeship into six months of intensive, hands-on training, aiming to tackle youth unemployment to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry needs.
The initiative is part of a national effort to reduce unemployment and expand access to dignified work for young Ghanaians.
Approach
The Project Coordinator and General Manager of Accents and Art, Bernice Gavor, said the programme responded directly to shortcomings in traditional education and training systems.
“There is a clear gap between what many young people learned in school and the practical skills required when they enter the workplace.
The internship was created to address this challenge by using industry-aligned methods and standards,” she said.
She added that, during the internship, participants would receive tools and equipment at no cost to help them develop both technical competencies and essential soft skills.
Ms Gavor explained that the programme also included structured pathways into wage employment, entrepreneurship or business incubation upon completion.
“We prepare them for direct job placements, or we support them with start-up kits to begin their own businesses immediately.
We could also incubate them in our hub for another six months.
Those in the hub receive $1,000 in seed funding, with the opportunity to scale up to $10,000 when their businesses perform well,” she said.
Founded in 2016, the Design and Technology Institute has established itself as a centre of excellence in technical and vocational education and training, with more than 105 workplace experience learning partners nationwide.
The Precision Quality Internship forms part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy, which seeks to enable 30 million young Africans, particularly women, to secure dignified work by 2030.
