Ghana to Train Youth in Apparel-Making Skills
Young people in Ghana who wish to enter the garment sector will be able to do so thanks to an initiative of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) and 20 local clothing companies offering training programs in the industry.
A new module called “Youth in Garment and Textiles,” launched Aug. 14, offers newly created employment opportunities to young people in Ghana who are interested in developing professional tailoring and dressmaking skills.
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The module will bridge skill gaps and create sustainable jobs that will contribute to the growth of Ghana in West Africa. It will teach skills related to tailoring and dressmaking, in addition to fabric selection, cutting techniques, sewing, garment construction, pattern draping and alterations.
The program also calls on existing apparel start-ups to help train students with programs that include on-the-job classes taught by garment and textile partner companies, and apprenticeships with micro- and small-scale seamstresses and tailors. There are approximately 2,000 trainees shortlisted and 500 master craftspeople who will be training them.
The garment and textile industry plays a significant role in Ghana’s economy, and contributes to job creation, export revenue and the preservation of the country’s highly regarded textile tradition. According to the Youth Employment Agency, this new module will be a way to create long-lasting jobs for young people.
Young people in Ghana and Kenya, on the Eastern coast of Africa, have also participated in a program funded by Prada, the Italian luxury goods company, with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Benefitting 30 young women from Ghana and 15 from Kenya, the program “Fashion Expressions: The Stories She Wears,” was instituted to impart practical knowledge and skills relevant to the fashion industry in addition to promoting women’s empowerment and sexual and reproductive health. Called the first initiative of its kind, it was launched in October 2022.
