More than 200 young people in the Northern Region have successfully completed a six-month technical and vocational skills training programme at the Dabokpa Technical Institute in Tamale, aimed at addressing youth unemployment and improving employability.
The initiative, organised in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation and the Design Technology Institute (DTI), provided participants with practical, hands-on experience designed to prepare them for the job market and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The trainees were taken through specialised courses including welding and fabrication technology, catering and hospitality, software development, and fashion design. These skill areas were carefully selected based on their high demand and strong potential for self-employment and small business development.
Organisers explained that the programme was designed to bridge the gap between classroom-based theoretical education and the practical competencies required by industries and employers.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Principal of Dabokpa Technical Institute, Mariama Mahama, commended the graduates for their dedication, discipline, and resilience throughout the rigorous training period. She noted that beyond the technical knowledge acquired, the institute would continue to support the graduates to establish their own businesses to help reduce unemployment in the region.
The General Manager of Accents and Arts, Bernice Gavor, disclosed that participants would receive starter kits and seed capital to enable them launch their ventures. She urged more young people to take advantage of such life-changing opportunities.
One of the graduates, Abubakari Issahaku, described the training as transformative, expressing gratitude to the organisers for equipping them with skills that could secure their future.
Products designed and manufactured by the trainees were displayed during the ceremony, drawing admiration from guests, while outstanding participants received cash prizes for their innovation and excellence.
The programme addresses a significant challenge in Ghana’s Northern Region, where youth unemployment remains persistently high. According to United Nations Development Programme data, unemployment rates in northern Ghana exceed the national average, with some northern regions recording rates above 38 percent among young adults.
The Mastercard Foundation has been implementing its Young Africa Works strategy in Ghana, which aims to enable three million young Ghanaians, 70 percent of them women, to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. The strategy focuses on providing future business leaders with access to business development skills, financing, and markets.
Dabokpa Technical Institute, located in the Northern Regional capital Tamale, has evolved from a Girls Boarding Middle School in the 1960s to become a fully-fledged technical institute in 1998. The institute has built a reputation for excellence in vocational and technical education in Ghana and celebrated its 25th anniversary as a technical institution in 2024.
The Design Technology Institute, founded in 2016, has established itself as a leading private Technical and Vocational Education and Training institution in Ghana, providing industry-linked training programmes designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and workplace requirements.
Stakeholders believe the programme will not only create jobs but also inspire a new generation of young entrepreneurs capable of contributing meaningfully to the region’s economic growth.
