Females dominate GFGF Mine Apprenticeship training programme

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A female apprentice in welding receiving her certificate

Females dominated the Gold Fields Foundation (GFGF) Mine Apprenticeship Training Programme (MATP) at the graduation ceremony of the programme last weekend.
Out of 29 who passed out of the apprenticeship training programme, 15 were females and the rest the opposite sex.

The graduands, drawn from the mine’s host communities, undertook a two-year training programme in welding and fabrication under the mine apprenticeship training programme.
As a two-year programme, the initiative was designed to provide technical and entrepreneurial training to the community youth in welding and fabrication, skills set critically needed in the mining and construction sectors.
The training focused on both theoretical knowledge and practical hands-on experience, ensuring participants gained the required competence to meet industry standards.

The 29 apprentices at the graduation programme

What is refreshing about the training programme is that, 24 out of the total number have secured jobs even before the graduation.
At a graduation ceremony, the Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Gold Fields, Eliot Twum, told the gathering  that more than US$4million (four million dollars) had been invested in skills training.
Through the training programme the Foundation, Gold Fields MD noted, had demonstrated its unwavering commitment to youth empowerment, livelihood creation and technical education.

Education and skills training, he continued, were crucial for the youth as they provided foundational knowledge, develop essential skills for the future and enhance opportunities for personal and professional growth.

“These investments in youth development ultimately benefit individuals, communities and the overall economy,” he said.
To add to the plethora of skills training initiatives, the Foundation he stressed, started the Mine Apprenticeship Programme in 2022, mindful of the need to develop human capital and create sustainable livelihood opportunities in the host communities.

“As we know, apprenticeships and skills training provide practical, industry-specific skills, enhance employability, and offer opportunities for early career exposure. They also provide a faster route to recognized qualifications”.
Turning his attention to the graduation ceremony, Eliot Twum posited, “Today we salute the 29 young people who participated in the intensive and gruelling training.

“I am happy to see that amongst them are 15 women, a testament to Gold Fields’ commitment to empowering women by ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion.

“And this cuts across many of our programmes aimed at equipping the youth with employable skills and sustainable livelihoods and creating a pipeline for skilled manpower”.
Eliot Twum, whose speech was read on his behalf, pointed out that the graduation ceremony marked a significant milestone in their journey, as each of them receives certificates from the Minerals Commission (MC) and the South African Institute of Welders.
He announced that, given the impact and appropriateness of the Mine Apprenticeship Programme, 24 out of the 29 trainees have secured employment with an Engineering company.

The graduation, he indicated, was more than a celebration. This is because, “it is a testament to what strategic partnerships, focused training and community-centred development can achieve”.

Present at the ceremony were the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tarkwa Nsuaem, Issah Salifu Taylor, Dr. Catherine Kuupol Kuutol, Gold Fields Mine Manager for Tarkwa, Abdel Razak Yakubu, GFGF Executive Secretary, Prof. Kweku Bondzie Micah, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Takoradi Technical University (TTU), Nana Kwabena Aponsah, Divisional Chief of Bosumtwi, Obaahema Abena Boaduwa and Divisional Queen Mother amongst others.

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