Obuasi, Oct. 5, GNA – One hundred youth, constitutingthe third batch of AngloGold Ashanti’s Youth Apprenticeship Programme (YAP), have graduated at a colourful ceremony at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.
The programme, a collaboration between AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine and Mac Partners Training Institute, provides one-year practical training in various trades to the beneficiaries.
The young people, drawn from host communities of the mining firm, were taught welding and fabrication, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering after a rigorous selection process.
This is to equip them with knowledge and hands-on experience to position them for employment opportunities.
Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, the Senior Manager-Sustainability of AngloGold Ashanti, said the company believed that investing in education and vocational skills for the youth in host communities could enhance their employability.
That would also go a long way to contribute to the overall development and prosperity of Obuasi and the Ashanti Region in general.
« We are immensely proud of our partnership with host communities through the Youth Apprenticeship Programme and the positive impact it has on the lives of our youth, » he noted.
AngloGold Ashanti continued to prioritise skill-building initiatives that empowered the local youth, which was part of its 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan, Mr Baidoo said.
« By investing in the youth’s education and training, the Obuasi Mine reinforces its mission to create a sustainable and prosperous future for the communities in which it operates. »
Mr Seth Quaye, the Managing Director of Mac Partners Training Institute, said the trainees had developed practical experience, which was the backbone of industries, and urged them to make maximum use of the skills acquired.
He said they represented the future of industry not only in mining but other fields, who would make significant impacts in their chosen careers.
The graduation should not be an end to their journey but rather the beginning of processes for continuous skills acquisition and refinement to achieve their aims and aspirations, he said.