Dubbed “Skill-up”, more than 1,000 youth in the constituency would be trained to enable them to set up their own businesses and employ others.

The beneficiaries would be given hands-on training in auto mechanics, carpentry, electronics, electrical, welding and fabrication, building and construction among others.

They would also be trained in steel bending, decoration and event planning, hairdressing, fashion design among many others.

Startups

Speaking at the launch of the initiative at Ampain in the Ellembelle district, Mr Buah, who is also the Deputy Minority Leader in Parliament, said the trainees would be mentored upon completion of their training and equipped with entrepreneurial skills to form startups to enable them attract corporate interest.

“Our ultimate goal is to make the 1,000 aspiring youth in Ellembelle acquire a life-changing initiative to help them become job creators rather than job-seekers and we will help them form startup companies, work together and employ others,” he said.

“If we fail to get them to establish startups, it means that after the training of the 1,000, in the next one and half or two years, we will see them going solo by positioning 1,000 kiosks or containers in our communities.

Therefore, after the training, in groups of five, three or four comes a startup for Ellembelle,” he further explained.

 Mr Buah said it was also part of his plan to ensure the creation of the startup and innovation hub in the district to ensure that young people, after skills acquisition could have a place to start, adding that “it is all about the development of the district and we will make sure it happens.”

He said he had already partnered vocational institutions such as the Kikam Technical Institute (Kimtech), the St Theresa’s NVTI Dolphin, private enterprises and craftsmen to train young people in the district.