Over 250 Youth Graduate with Industry-Ready Skills in Tamale

A total
of 253 youth have graduated from the inaugural Precision Quality (PQ)
Internship Programme at the DabokpaTechnical and Vocational Institute,
emerging with practical, industry-ready skills and confirmed pathways into
employment and enterprise.

 The
ceremony, held on Tuesday in Tamale, highlighted a model of technical training
that prioritises hands-on application, discipline and quality.
Already, 149 graduates have secured placement opportunities across the
hospitality, welding and fabrication, software development, and fashion and
apparel sectors.

 Welcoming
guests including the Northern Regional Minister, traditional authorities and
officials from key government agencies, Ms Bernice Gavor, General Manager
of Accents & Art Ltd., said the graduation represented more than the
completion of training.

 “Today’s
gathering is not merely ceremonial; it is a celebration of skills applied,
value created, and futures reshaped,” she said.

 Under
the PQ model, trainees are assessed not only on theory but on the ability to
produce quality outputs that meet real-world standards.

 Welding
interns fabricated furniture for first-year students, built shelves for the
principal’s office, and produced trusses, coal pots, tables and balcony rails
for institutional use. 

 Fashion
graduates stitched school uniforms and participated in industry visits to North
Shore Apparel in Savelugu, where they observed mass production systems and
fast-fashion workflows.

 Hospitality
interns completed structured rotations at NimAvenue Hotel
and Radach Hotel, gaining exposure to service standards in active
hospitality environments.

 The programme’s credentialing
pathway has further enabled 35 fashion trainees to apply for Recognition of
Prior Learning (RPL) certification, while others are preparing for CTVET
assessment. 

 Some
participants have also become eligible for military recruitment, broadening
their career options.

 Ghana’s
labour market receives over 500,000 new entrants each year, yet many lack the
practical competencies required by industry. National data also indicates that
nearly two million youth fall into the category of Not in Employment, Education
or Training (NEET).

 Ms Gavor said
the PQ Internship Programme—supported by the Mastercard Foundation—was designed
to close this gap by equipping learners with employable skills, work ethics and
confidence.

“You are
ambassadors of Precision Quality and contributors to Ghana’s future workforce,”
she told the graduates.

 The
success of the programme, implemented by the Design & Technology Institute
in partnership with Accents & Art, was attributed to strong collaboration
between the institution, industry partners and facilitators.

 Mrs Mariama Mahama,
Principal of Dabokpa Technical Institute, reaffirmed the school’s
commitment to practical skills development and praised the coordinators,
facilitators, master craft persons and support staff who ensured smooth delivery
of training and industry exposure.

 The
ceremony featured exhibitions of student projects, including a fashion runway
show, cultural performances and the presentation of certificates, starter kits
and seed capital to support enterprise creation. 

Outstanding
participants also received cash awards for innovation.

Graduate Abubakari Issahaku,
speaking on behalf of his colleagues, described the training as
“life-changing.”

 Displayed
at the event were clothing collections, metal doors and stoves, cakes, movable
waste containers and functional websites, demonstrating the competence of the
graduating cohort.

 All
graduates were inducted into the PQ Alumni Association and took a pledge to
uphold excellence, discipline and mutual support.

 Closing
the ceremony, Mr Mohammed Abdul Mananencouraged the graduates to apply
their skills with integrity and purpose.

For the
253 young people who walked across the graduation stage, the journey ahead
marks a transition—from learning to earning, and from potential to measurable
contribution.