General News of Wednesday, 14 July 2010

Source: GNA

Ghana YMCA signs MOU on youth skills training

Accra, July 14, GNA - Ghana YMCA and Fuhrlaender Company, a German technology firm, have signed a 2.5 million Euro deal to provide technological based skills training to Ghanaian youths to enable them meet the demands of the job market.

Under the deal, three centres to be fitted with modern equipment will be built in Accra, Apedwa and Takoradi to cater for the training needs of Ghanaians and other members of the Africa wide Young Men Christian Associations (YMCAs).

It is expected that the programme, which will start in October this year would be completed in the next two years.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dr Emmanuel Osafo, President of the Ghana YMCA, said the focus of the training was to build into the youth capacities that meet the needs of the future.

He said through the project, the YMCA hoped to make a major contribution to dealing with youth unemployment, which had been the bane of the development of the country.

Mr Carlos Sanvee, General Secretary Africa Alliance of YMCAs said the project is the first partnership between the YMCA and the private sector.

He said the top level training envisaged under the project would not only equip the youth with the requisite skills, but also make them capable of meeting the demands of any work environment.

Mr Joachim Fuhrlaender, President of the Company, said the technological training was necessary to transform the youth and expressed the hope that the partnership would change the lives of many of the youths on the continent.