More than 100 young artisans and mastercraft persons in the Nandom Municipality have been enrolled onto the JobConnect digital platform following the successful completion of a six-month skills training programme organised by the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) in partnership with African Industrial Solutions (AIS).
The exit workshop, held on Monday, July 13, 2026, at the Nandom Municipal Assembly Hall, brought together beneficiaries from the Nandom Municipality and the Lambussie District to mark the end of the training and prepare participants for employment opportunities through the JobConnect system.
The programme forms part of a partnership between YEA and AIS to equip unemployed youth with practical skills in 19 artisanal and craftsmanship areas while improving their chances of securing jobs.
The workshop was attended by the Municipal Chief Executive for Nandom, Anthony Ziniel, Nandom Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Philemon Wein, popularly known as “Chairman 24/7”, who also participated in the training, Municipal Director of YEA, Debzie Tang Isaiah, Lambussie District YEA Director Nyuzagl Alipo and their respective staff.
AIS Acting Regional Coordinator, Frederick Mwengo, facilitated the workshop with support from Zakaria Fauzia.
According to the YEA, the programme initially engaged 151 beneficiaries made up of 113 apprentices and 38 mastercraft persons. Following a validation exercise by the agency’s headquarters, 123 beneficiaries comprising 85 apprentices and 38 mastercraft persons were confirmed under the programme. A total of 112 participants from the Nandom Municipality attended Monday’s workshop.
In his opening remarks, Chairman Philemon Wein encouraged apprentices to remain disciplined, humble and willing to learn from their mastercraft persons, stressing that commitment to learning was key to building successful careers. He also shared his personal experience in the artisanal sector to inspire participants.
Addressing the gathering, Municipal Chief Executive Anthony Ziniel traced the origins of the intervention to the government’s youth employment agenda and highlighted the importance of skills development in tackling unemployment.
He said the government remained committed to creating sustainable employment opportunities for young people through YEA and other public institutions, urging participants to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them.
A major highlight of the workshop was the introduction of the JobConnect platform, a digital system designed to connect trained artisans and mastercraft persons with potential clients and employers.
Participants were taken through the registration process and shown how the platform would enable customers to locate and engage skilled artisans more easily, improving their access to paid work and expanding their business opportunities.
The session also featured an interactive question-and-answer segment, allowing participants to seek clarification on the platform and other aspects of the programme.
Speaking after the event, Nandom Municipal YEA Director Debzie Tang Isaiah expressed appreciation to the Member of Parliament for Nandom, Richard Kuuire, for his continued support for youth employment initiatives in the municipality.
He also commended the Municipal Chief Executive for providing the Assembly Hall and supporting the organisation of the workshop, while acknowledging the contributions of the Nandom and Lambussie YEA staff, AIS facilitators and the mastercraft persons who mentored the apprentices throughout the six-month training.
Mr Tang Isaiah disclosed that since assuming office as Municipal Director in June 2025, the YEA office in Nandom has facilitated the engagement of 251 young people under various agency employment modules, describing the achievement as the result of strong collaboration among stakeholders.
The workshop ended with participants expressing optimism that the JobConnect platform would open new opportunities for employment and business growth after completing their training.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
