The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has launched the ‘Youth in Garment and Textiles’ Module aimed at creating sustainable opportunities for young people interested in dressmaking or industrial sewing.
Under this new module dubbed a game-changer, beneficiaries of the training programme will be equipped with in-depth knowledge and hands-on training in various aspects of tailoring and dressmaking including fabric selection, cutting techniques, sewing, garment construction, pattern making and alterations.
Speaking at the launch of the module in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, on Monday (14 August 2023), the Chief Executive of YEA, Mr. Kofi Baah Agyepong said the beneficiaries will have an opportunity to understudy the big garment companies including the micro or small-scale seamstresses and tailors across the country.
“Under the programme, YEA will support about 40 large garment companies with between GHC100, 000 to GHC200, 000 each. The agency will also support 500 micro/small scale seamstresses and tailors with GHC10, 000 each to enable them to train the beneficiaries. The beneficiaries will also be provided with monthly stipends throughout the period of their training,” Agyepong said.
He added: “It is expected that the large garment companies would absorb the beneficiaries after the training as part of measures of creating sustainable jobs for our youth. Those who will be trained by the micro/small scale seamstresses and tailors will be supported with sewing machines and other tool kits to start their own businesses.”
Agyepong disclosed that over 21,000 young people applied to be enrolled on the programme, describing it as “highly remarkable.”
The YEA boss called on the beneficiaries to seize the opportunity to add value to themselves as the Akufo-Addo government creates more opportunities to reduce youth unemployment in Ghana.
“I would like to encourage the trainees not to take this opportunity given to them by the government through the YEA for granted. A lot of money is being invested in this programme. It is hoped that they will take their training seriously and to live up to expectation at the various garment companies.
“My dearest beneficiaries of this module, there is no time to be a proud Ghanaian than now. In these challenging times, you have a government that is not only providing you with Free SHS but also helping you to acquire technical and vocational skills. This is a government that cares for not by words but by deeds,” Agyepong said.
He also admonished the garment companies, seamstresses and tailors to “see this task as a national assignment by ensuring that they are well trained so that they will also contribute to the apparel and garment industry. Please train them well. This is not free money.”
Under the one year tenure of Agyepong, the YEA has been able to recruit 6,000 Community Health Workers; recruitment of 15,000 Community Protection Assistants; recruitment of 1,500 Prisons Service Assistants; recruitment of 800 artisans for the INZAG Project; we still have the 45,000 beneficiaries for the youth in Sanitation Module, recruitment of 4,000 farm workers for the Afarinick Cocoa rehabilitation Programme; recruitment of 6,000 insurance agents, creation of over 11,000 employment opportunities through the YEA’s Job Centre.
The YEA has also collaborated with other state institutions like the Building and Road Research Institute of the CSIR to train 1,000 youth in modern building technology, the Ghana Library Authority to train young entrepreneurs across the country under the Entrepreneurship Re-imagined Programme, the Accra Digital Centre to provide ICT training for 2,000 youth in ICT, collaboration with National Labour Commission to sensitize the youth on labour- related issues and collaboration with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) to train 5000 young Entrepreneurs (Trade and Vocation). All these collaborations were fully funded by the YEA.
