Accra, July 30, GNA – A total of 448 young people have graduated from the Precision Quality Internship (PQI) Programme after completing industry-focused technical and vocational training to enhance their employability and entrepreneurship.
The graduates completed training in welding and fabrication, fashion and apparel, hospitality, and software development, with some receiving start-up support to establish or expand businesses.
The graduation and exhibition ceremony was held at the Dabokpa Technical Institute in Tamale, on the theme: “Smart Skills. Sustainable Communities.”,
It was organised under the PQI Programme, an initiative of Accents & Art Ltd., the Design and Technology Institute (DTI) and the Mastercard Foundation.
As part of the programme, 53 outstanding graduates received start-up kits valued at about US$600 each to establish businesses, while five entrepreneurs received seed capital grants of US$1,000 each to expand their enterprises.
The graduates were also inducted into the PQI Alumni Network to benefit from mentorship, professional development, networking and business support.
Ms Bernice Gavor, Project Coordinator and General Manager of Accents & Art Ltd., said the ceremony marked the achievements of young people who had acquired practical skills through collaboration among government, industry, technical institutions and development partners.
“It is a celebration of achievement, resilience, innovation and opportunity. More importantly, it is a celebration of what becomes possible when government, industry, technical institutions and development partners unite around a common purpose—to equip young people with practical skills that lead to dignified employment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods,” she said.
Ms Gavor said the theme highlighted the role of technical and vocational education in equipping young people with skills to secure employment, solve problems and create opportunities within their communities.
She said since the programme began in 2025, more than 3,568 young people had graduated from PQI centres nationwide, more than 800 had secured employment, 365 start-up kits had been distributed and 35 businesses had received seed capital grants.
Ms Gavor called on government, industry, development partners and employers to continue supporting young people through employment opportunities, internships, mentorship and business partnerships.
“Together, we can transform skills into livelihoods, potential into prosperity, and today’s graduates into tomorrow’s employers and innovators,” she stated.
Ms Gavor urged the graduates to regard their certificates as the beginning of their professional journey.
“The certificate you receive today is not the destination; it is the beginning. Let your success be measured not only by the jobs you secure or the businesses you build, but by the value you create, the problems you solve and the lives you improve,” she advised.
Dr Peter Dawuni, Northern Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, commended Accents & Art Ltd., DTI and the Mastercard Foundation for supporting youth skills development and job creation.
He appealed for the programme to be expanded to additional technical institutions and districts in the Northern Region.
“There are thousands of eager, talented young men and women in various parts of the region who are waiting for this exact spark to unlock their potential. Expanding this opportunity further will accelerate our regional industrial growth and multiply the number of precision-trained professionals ready to transform our local economy,” he said.
Dr Dawuni encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge and business support they had received to create employment opportunities.
“You are not just leaving here as job seekers. You are stepping out as job creators, innovators and industry leaders,” he said.
A highlight of the ceremony was an exhibition of projects developed by the interns to address environmental and socio-economic challenges in Northern Ghana, including drought and desertification, renewable energy, climate resilience, rising temperatures, youth unemployment and sustainable livelihoods.
Ms Gavor said the programme had also established a nursery facility at the institute to support nursing mothers participating in the training after concerns were raised about balancing childcare with skills development.
“The nursery is more than a facility. It reflects our belief that no learner should have to choose between caring for a child and building a future,” she said.
The ceremony brought together policymakers, educators, traditional authorities, development partners, industry representatives, trainers, parents and alumni to celebrate the graduates and the outcomes of the industry-led skills development programme.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey