The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has successfully graduated its first cohort of 10,000 artisans under its intensive skills training programme.
Speaking at the graduating ceremony at Valley View University near Adentan in Accra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of YEA, Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong highlighted the significance of this milestone, describing it as a “game-changer” for the nation.
He praised the newly trained artisans, referring to them as “young game changers” who have mastered skills in 10 critical trade areas, including carpentry, beauty care, autoworks, POP, welding, glazing, electricals, painting, plumbing, and hairdressing.
“These 10,000 talented young men and women represent the first half of our ambitious goal to train 20,000 skilled professionals.
“Today, we stand on this humble ground to congratulate them as they embark on a journey that will not only transform their lives but also their families and the entire country,” Mr. Agyepong added.
Each graduate received GH¢3,000 during the training and essential equipment and materials upon graduation to help them start their own businesses.
The YEA also launched the GhArtisan App, a platform that will allow clients to easily find and hire these certified artisans through their mobile phones.
Mr. Agyepong urged the government to incorporate these artisans into ongoing national projects, including the Agenda 111 initiative, and called for policies that prioritize employing trained and certified professionals from the YEA’s program for all government projects in their respective districts.
To the graduates, Mr. Agyepong offered words of encouragement, emphasizing that their hard work and newly acquired skills have equipped them to shape their futures and contribute significantly to the country’s development.
“Today marks the beginning of your journey—a journey that you started from humble beginnings and will carry you toward a future of endless possibilities,” he concluded.
