SOS, DHL support youth in skills training
The SOS Children's Village in Ghana in partnership with DHL Ghana, a delivery company held capacity and job skills training for youth across the country to equip them with employable skills.
The seven-day boot camp held at Cocoa College, Bunso in the Abuakwa North Municipality of the Eastern Region hosted 60 youth from all SOS Children's Village across the country; with 29 female participants and 31 male participants as part of effort to make participants competitive.
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In an interview with the Daily Graphic, during the closing ceremony last Friday (September 10, 2021), the National Youth Development Advisor, Mr Godknows Kporha said the beneficiaries who were trained in "curriculum vita (CV) writing, interview skills, job hunting skills, business identification, business proposal writing, fund sourcing for business and communication and leadership skills, branding, marketing, financial management, problem-solving skills, personal and time management" to make them change agent and job seekers among them very competitive and ready for employment.
The programme themed; "Empowering young people with employability and entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance", according to Mr Kporha would help make participants job creators as it equipped them with soft skills on employability and entrepreneurship.
Bridging gap
The Chief Executive Officer West Africa and Country Head-Ghana, Mr Serigne Ndanck Mbaye said the partnership with SOS Children Village under the DHL GOTEACH project since 2012 aimed at bridging the gap between the competencies developed in schools and the soft skills required for entrepreneurship and employment.
He indicated that though unemployment has been a major issue, lack of employable skills were largely contributing factors to this phenomenon. Hence, the drive for this workshop which has seen over 500 youth benefited in this programme over the years.
He expressed optimism that a more productive approach by youth to gain soft skills and seek entrepreneurial ideas could make them job creators and qualified job seekers.
Attitude
The Asiakwa SOS Children's Village Programme Director, Mr Daniel Baani urged participants to have a positive attitude towards work in order to achieve their dreams.
He added that though certificates were vital, attitude would help secure a job or become successful in personal ventures. Adding that the youth must also be conscious to take up voluntary services to learn certain skills when they do not secure jobs immediately after school to prepare themselves for better opportunities.
Internship, technology
Mr Benjamin Belo, DHL Administration Coordinator and Youth GoTeach said DHL as part of the initiative would give some of the participants internship opportunities to help them obtain on-job skills.
He said the prospect of youth was brighter seeing that the world was advancing into digital world; a move according to him would make the aged less active for work. Hence, creating a lot of employment opportunities for youth with strong technological skills at places that were currently in the hands of the aged.
Appreciation
Ms Paulina Okine, a beneficiary of the project and level 200 students of the University of Ghana expressed gratitude to SOS Children's Village and DHL for the initiative, indicating that the programme has better helped her to prepare for an entrepreneurial adventure while still in school instead of waiting to be employed.
Ms Shem Yirenkyi, a fashion designer among the beneficiaries said the programme has given her the idea of how to make her business more attractive to customers through marketing, branding skills and self-leadership, as she hoped her business moves beyond Ghana.