Beneficiaries of the government’s apprenticeship initiative are beginning to receive start-up support and safety coverage as efforts intensify to strengthen technical skills training and youth employment.
Officials of the National Apprenticeship Programme say participating master craftsmen and apprentices will have their workplaces registered with an insurance provider to protect them against accidents and other unforeseen incidents during training.
The Oti Regional Director of the programme, Michael Mampah, disclosed this during the presentation of start-up kits to some beneficiaries in the Krachi East Municipality.
### Safety and support for trainees
Mr. Mampah explained that the insurance arrangement is intended to provide an additional layer of protection for both trainers and apprentices while they undertake practical skills training in workshops and training centres.
According to him, the initiative forms part of broader efforts to make vocational training safer and more structured for young people pursuing technical careers.
### Verification exercise underway
He also revealed that the government has begun a verification and life validation exercise for registered beneficiaries under the programme.
The exercise, currently ongoing across training centres in the Oti Region, is aimed at confirming the identities of participants and eliminating ghost names from the system before stipends are paid.
Officials are visiting workshops to verify details of apprentices and their respective master craftsmen to ensure that only legitimate participants benefit from the programme.
Mr. Mampah noted that the process is necessary to promote transparency and accountability in the administration of the initiative.
### Beneficiaries optimistic about opportunities
Some beneficiaries welcomed the programme, saying it offers young people a practical pathway to acquiring employable skills.
One of the participants, Richard Dunugbe, described the opportunity as life-changing, expressing confidence that the skills he is gaining will enable him to establish his own business in the future.
### Call for expansion
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive for Krachi East Municipality, Safo Nketia, commended the government for implementing the programme but appealed for an increase in the number of beneficiaries.
He said expanding the initiative would allow more young people in communities within the municipality to benefit from technical and vocational skills training.
The National Apprenticeship Programme is designed to promote technical and vocational education while creating employment opportunities for the youth.
Officials say the ongoing validation exercise will soon be completed, after which stipends will begin to be paid to qualified apprentices and master craftsmen.
