By Stanley Senya
Accra, July 7, GNA – Dr. Nora Bannerman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), of Sleek Garments Export Limited, has advised the youth especially women to groom and equip themselves through skills training to become self sufficient, employable and independent to achieve their goals.
She said skills training helped in developing specific abilities, competencies, and techniques for effective performance in an occupation, adding that it would help them maximize their abilities for effective productivity.
She was speaking at the graduation ceremony of trainees of the GSDF Skills Development Program offered at Sleek Garments Export Ltd.The theme for the ceremony was : “Relevant Skills Development & its Empowerment of Women & The Youth In The 21st Century.”
Dr. Nora Bannerman said some challenges students faced during skills training programs in the industry were lack of funds for transport and feeding, which she appealed to parents and stakeholders to help find lasting solutions to those challenges.
She called on government and all other institutions to offer skills training especially in the vocational training sector to equip the youth to develop more skills.
Dr. Nora Bannerman also added that, the textiles and garment industry had generated thousands of jobs, in the 70s and 80s for instance it generated 27,000 jobs. This indicated how the industry could create jobs within the shortest possible time when investment was made in growing the industry.
The CEO advised more collaboration between business owners in the fashion space to enable them boost the growth of the garment and textiles industry and also produce more ideas to thrive the textile business.
Dr. Zenator Agyeman Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey Constituency, who followed up on the progress of the training of young ladies from her constituency who took part in the skills development program advised the graduands to collaborate with each other and impart the knowledge they have gained into others to aid economic development.
She said they must continue to learn and practise their skills to generate positive results which would add value to their work.
“Remember that someone gave me the opportunity to make my vision come true, therefore, you should also make room for other people, that is how we build the community for people who have the skills and the passion”, she said.
She charged graduands to pay key attention to detail with regards to their clothing and stitching in order to retain their clients.
Dr. Elizabeth Dzigbordi Obinnim, Senior Lecturer at the Ho Technical University urged all graduands to take advantage of skills development because it is a powerful tool in self growth, saying, it equips individuals not just with the pratical abilities to perform task but with the confidence to innovate and adapt in the dynamic landscape.
She said acquiring relevant skills opened doors to not only employment but also empowerment and independence, especially, women and the youth who were often disproportionately affected by the social and economic challenges.
She expressed her appreciation for the hard work and the determination they have developed, and capacity to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s growing fashion industry.
“Each stitch they sew, each design they create and each strategy they implement carrys the potential to not just change their own life but the fabric of their community”, She added.
According to the Senior Lecturer, we must empower women through education to raise leaders armed with skills and knowledge to become the innovators and leaders of the future.
She also added that empowerment through education will not just provide skills, but also nurture leaders who are conscious of their potential and become responsible in shaping life.
The ceremony saw graduates attain Certificates after participating in a 6 month program covering modules such as pattern making, quality control, industrial engineering, mass production techniques, fashion illustration, computer aided design and fashion design.
GNA