By Morkporkpor Anku
Accra, Nov. 26, GNA – The Design & Technology Institute (DTI), a private TVET institution, is relocating from its current one-acre campus to a 10-acre campus at Berekuso, opposite Ashesi University.
The expansion has been made possible from 3 million euro funding support from the African Union Development Agency, the Skills Initiative for Africa and the German Bank KfW.
Miss Constance Swaniker, Founder and CEO of DTI, speaking at the third graduation of the Institute said the expansion was necessitated by the astronomical rise in demand for places from students across all spectra.
110 learners graduate after pursuing an 18-month certificate programme in Precision Fabrication, Design Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
She expressed delight at the uptake of CTVET courses by students out of choice, indicating the improving profile of TVET education in Ghana.
“Fee paying students, including some University students, are choosing DTI out of choice because of the dual TVET system we operate and the skills we impart,” Miss Swaniker added.
Starting with an initial cohort of 32 learners in 2019, DTI now has 227 learners which is more than its current campus can comfortably accommodate.
The CEO commended the Mastercard Foundation whose support had enabled over 90 per cent of students including females and the vulnerable to obtain scholarships to attend DTI.
“At the DTI, we believe that technical and vocational education and training hold the key to unlocking the potential of young men and women by providing them with the necessary skills to unleash their abundant potential, thereby creating jobs and improving livelihoods,” she said.
Miss Swaniker said DTI curriculum was developed by industry professionals and certified by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training to ensure that it addressed the industry’s skills gap.
She said DTI was also collaborating with Reach for Change on the development of an industry-driven entrepreneurship curriculum.
Mr Bernard Kafui Sokpe, Co-Founder of Brandmeister, advised the graduates to see failure and setbacks as necessary ingredients for life’s evolution.
“Setbacks toughen you, while failure teaches you life lessons.” I can assure you that success is not easy out there, and the skills you acquired at DTI are required to make the world a better place,” he said.
He urged the graduates not to abandon their training, but rather to combine soft and hard skills in order to evolve.
“In order to strengthen your mindset for success, my two A’s for success in the workplace are adaptability and accountability,” he added.
He called on the graduates to brace themselves for the world out there as well as the realities of life.
Ms Matilda Adu Adjei, who was adjudged the overall best student, recalled the long and often difficult journey that had brought them to their graduation day.
She thanked Management, faculty and parents for their support in completing their training DTI is an all-inclusive and gender-friendly institute with a 30 per cent female admission rate per cohort.
After successfully completing their programme, learners are carefully transitioned into various industries as part of DTI’s six-month Workplace Experience Learning programme.
Out of the 110 students, 83 have gone on to work in various industries. 27 of them have since enrolled in DTI’s certificate two programme.
GNA