Simi Nwogugu, CEO of Junior Achievement (JA) Africa speaking at the launch said "'Our Future-Tomorrow Innovators' program offers a life changing impact on our youth, enabling them to take their future into their own hands and empower them with knowledge".

It would also give them the confidence to tap into their already existing thirst for knowledge and entrepreneurial creativity, she added.  

Ms. Nwogugu said that the partnership entailed JA's entrepreneurship programs in Ghana, Nigeria, Madagascar, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Sudan and Mauritania.

She noted that the program would provide training in entrepreneurship as well as digital skills that will help them solve complex problems globally while earning income.

"For over 12 years, Boeing has invested over US12.2m in community outreach programs across Africa, with focus on providing systemic improvements in education and economic empowerment for those in poverty to reach their full potential.

She disclosed that while Africa had about 11 million young graduates, job creation stood at about 3 million, hence the need for programs like this to teach participants to become entrepreneurs.

President of Boeing Middle East, Turkey and Africa (META), Kuljit Ghata-Aura said that the partnership was a continuation of Boeing's decade-long legacy of empowering African youth and equipping them with the needed skills in order to be successful in today's labor market.

He said that the next phase of their partnership would allow an even greater number of talented young Africans to reach their full potential.

In an interview with the media, Ghata-Aura emphasized the need to encourage young people especially girls into the STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field in order to be successful in the job market".

He added that the expected growth in aviation as well as the need for infrastructure necessitates the need to train more people in areas such as engineering, software development and so on.

The partnership would see Boeing offering the expertise and training to participants.

In Tanzania for example, it would focus on supporting about 100 Tanzanian youth through innovation Day Camps whereas in Ghana, Madagascar and the DRC, it would focus on digital entrepreneurship education of about 1,300 students.

Mauritania and Sudan on the other hand would empower between 100 to 200 youth to own their economic success while in Nigeria, secondary school students would be empowered through the Company Program to build innovative businesses that solve problems with their communities.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority, Ms. Akosua Manu in her speech commended JA and Boeing for the partnership.

She said that the goal to train 5000 young people would not only impact their lives but also those of single mothers and their wards, community change makers, future leaders among others.

She added that the partnership fell in line with the cause of the NYA to close the skills gap in Africa and pledged government's support for the program.

With presence in over 13 countries in Africa and an annual reach of over 300,000 African youth, JA Africa has been serving communities for over 40 years and is instrumental in creating real change at the grass root level.

Over 70 per cent of participants in their Company Program have started a business with many stating that the idea for their business stemmed from participating in the program.

By establishing a digital learning platform, JA has the potential to reach over one million students per year.

The event was also attended by students from Nigeria as well as the Aburi Girls and Accra Academy High Schools.