Sixty-one persons, comprising 40 females and 21 males, have graduated from the second edition of the Marketable Skills Training Programme organised in Koforidua by the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in the Eastern Region. The programme aimed to equip participants with practical and relevant skills to improve their livelihoods, promote self-reliance and create opportunities for entrepreneurship. The graduates acquired skills in various fields, including fascinator making, bead making and designing, basic sewing, advanced sewing and traditional dance (Kete).
The Regional Director of the CNC, Dr Dorcas Salamatu Alhassan, said the initiative formed part of the Centre’s efforts to use culture, arts and crafts as tools for economic empowerment and national development. She noted that the Centre recognised the important role practical skills and cultural entrepreneurship played in helping individuals, particularly young people and community members, transform their talents and creativity into sustainable livelihoods.
Dr Alhassan revealed that the Centre had previously trained 26 female beauticians in bead designing and 10 persons with disabilities in bead designing in New Juaben South. Additionally, 11 female fashion designers were trained in fascinator making in New Juaben North, while 104 learners in Kwahu East were trained to produce wall-hanging artefacts from discarded plastic materials. Other interventions included training in batik tie-and-dye, artistic artefacts from plastic materials and pastry making in various districts.
The maiden edition of the Marketable Skills Training Programme, held last year, had 43 participants who were trained in areas including fascinator making, facial make-up, decoration, sewing, crocheting and batik tie-and-dye. Dr Alhassan said the increase to 61 beneficiaries this year demonstrated the Centre’s continued commitment to creating practical opportunities that could translate talent and creativity into sustainable livelihoods.
The Executive Director of the National Commission on Culture (NCC), Mr Wisdom Wakefield Ackuaku, urged the graduates to put their knowledge and skills to use for their economic benefit. He said the era when parents considered vocational training to be for children who were not academically inclined had passed, and encouraged parents to invest in their children’s future by enrolling them in vocational and skills training programmes.
Mr Ackuaku emphasised that the skills acquired would help the graduates build a better future. He advised them to be entrepreneurial and innovative in their respective fields, and to contribute to the country’s economic growth. The programme was organised in collaboration with other stakeholders to ensure that the graduates were equipped with the necessary skills to compete in the job market.
The graduation ceremony was attended by various stakeholders, including officials from the CNC and the NCC. The graduates were awarded certificates and other prizes for their outstanding performance during the programme. The event marked a significant milestone in the Centre’s efforts to empower individuals with practical skills and promote economic development in the region.
Key points
- The programme aimed to equip participants with practical and relevant skills to improve their livelihoods.
- The Centre for National Culture has trained over 200 individuals in various skills training programmes.
- The graduates acquired skills in various fields, including fascinator making, bead making and designing, and traditional dance (Kete).
