NYA demands professional certification of youth in skills training

The Northern Regional Director of the National Youth Authority has called for deeper collaboration between government and stakeholders to ensure that youth in various technical and vocational training institutions acquire professional certifications after training.

He said professional certification would help widen the scope of opportunities available to the youth.

Mr Mumuni said reputable organisations and institutions did not only consider the technical and vocational expertise of potential employees but also take their certification as well.

Mr Mumuni was addressing some stakeholders and youth groups in Tamale during the presentation of research findings on the skills needs of the youth in the Northern, North East and Savannah Regions.

The research findings were to help identify critical and economically viable skills needed by the youth to address youth unemployment, crimes and drug abuse.

A total of 3,041 youth, comprising 56.7 per cent males and 43.3% of females were sampled for the research.

The research found that 20.8 per cent of respondents were without certification while 79.2 per cent were certificated.

It also found that 53.1 per cent were certificated by master trainers whilst 21.8 per cent were professionally certificated.

Mr Mumuni said the inability of the youth to acquire professional certification after their technical and vocational training was not helpful to the country's development agenda.

Ms Zakaria Maridia, a Fashion and Design apprentice, said the development had discouraged some youth from venturing into the technical and vocational training area.

She said, "Most of us, who cannot afford to start our businesses after completion, depend so much on the certificates to gain employment."