The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), Mr. Kofi Agyepong, has announced that around ten thousand youths who have undergone skilled training will graduate in August.

 According to Mr. Agyepong, the training programmes included masonry under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Building and Road Research Institute (BRRI), make-up artistry, Plaster of Paris (POP) making, plumbing, electricals, vulcanizing, and more.

Mr. Agyepong explained that the choice of  BRRI because of its mandate to provide research and development for the building and road sectors of the Ghanaian economy. 

The graduation ceremony will be held in Techiman, in the Bono East region.

He noted that after graduation, beneficiaries will be given start-up kits to enable them to establish their own workshops. 

This initiative aims to set them on the path to becoming masters in their various fields.

The YEA’s skills training programme is designed to equip unskilled youth with valuable skills.

 Following graduation, the agency will launch an application for people seeking services from artisans to access qualified and registered professionals.

Mr. Agyepong described how the app will work: customers will log in, specify their area and the type of artisan they need, and then the names and contacts of available artisans will appear for them to choose from.

 This digital initiative is part of YEA's efforts to modernize the operations of the artisans it trains across the country.

Additionally, Mr. Agyepong mentioned that this app will help reduce the presence of foreign workers in the artisan sector of the economy.

Mr. Agyepong made these disclosures during an interview on Accra-based Okay FM on Friday, July 19, 2024