The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has launched the Garment and Apparel Training and Employment programme to equip and empower, in line with Act 2015 (Act 887), young people to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic and sustainable development of the nation.
The module comes from the realisation that the garment and apparel industry plays a significant role in the economy, contributing to export revenue, employment generation, and cultural preservation.
It is expected to afford the beneficiaries in depth knowledge and skills training in dressmaking and tailoring, as well as fabric selection, cutting techniques, sewing, garment construction, pattern making, and alterations.
Launching the first phase of the module at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi yesterday, the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, noted that the Garment and Apparel module was a laudable initiative, and indicated that a lot more modules remained to be outdoored to provide livelihoods to the teeming youth.
She mentioned the COTVET, NEIP, Youth Start and the National Apprenticeship policy, which made it compulsory for all students in TVET schools as a few of such initiatives.
The Chief of Staff announced that on completion of the training the beneficiaries would be provided with the necessary start up kits and tools, and financial assistance.
She admonished the various master craftsmen to demonstrate commitment by providing quality training to ensure a business culture among the trainees.
Mrs. Osei-Opare also advised the trainees to submit to training requirements and conditions, and said the YEA would monitor their activities and performance.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the YEA, Kofi Agyepong, announced that the Agency recruited 6,000 Community Health workers, 15,000 Community Public Assistants and 1,500 Prison Assistants, 45,000 in Youth in Sanitation and 4,000 farm workers to grow productivity in the cocoa sector, and 2,000 in Youth in ICT all fully funded by the YEA in the first year of his administration.
According to him, the YEA exceeded its estimated 71,500 recruitment projections throughout its programmes of for 2023 by 18% to 84,483.
The CEO also announced that 500 master craftsmen would be recruited and funded at GH¢10,000 each for the training of three more apprentices at the monthly salary of GH¢500.
Mr. Kofi Agyepong, however, appealed to the government to consider an increase in the financial support of the YEA to adequately cater for the sustainable employment needs of the youth.
According to him, budgetary allocation to the YEA kept decreasing on a yearly basis, hence the urgent need to review its financial support to enable the Agency provide sustainable employment for the youth all year round.
The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani West, as well as a member of the International Labour Organisation/United Nations (ILO/UN) Council, said the YEA would soon roll out another mega project to cover other initiatives to engage the youth in employable skills in dressmaking and fashion designing.
Present at the inauguration of the Garment and Apparel module, during which funding was provided to the various master craftsmen, were the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko, MP for Kwadaso, Vincent Ekow Asafua, MP for Old Tafo, and Nana Ampofo Kyei Baffour, Asemhene.
