Ms Jemima Twum-Donkor, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), has stated that vocational training was relevant to enable the country transition into industrialization.

She encouraged the youth to find interest in vocational and technical education in order to gain the necessary skills as the country would need technical people.

She noted: "in the past anyone who went to a technical school was perceived as one who didn't have brains and would not amount to anything. But currently, people who are doing well are those who go through vocational school".

Ms Twum-Donkor was speaking on the theme: "Rising youth unemployment: The link between education and employment", at a District Youth Parliament sitting organized for students of the Tema Industrial Mission Vocational Institute by the National Youth Authority (NYA) in the Tema Metropolitan Assembly.

She urged the youth to become entrepreneurs and learn how to start a business to enable them succeed on their own without relying on government for jobs.

Ms Twum-Donkor asserted that people took advantage of the internet to learn skills during the lockdown. These skills have become profitable to them.

"Learn from YouTube, don't just watch music, videos, and movies. Rather learn how to wire a room or bake a cake. Because the way to go now is to become an entrepreneur, so that you don't fail," she said.

She noted that formal education was critical to train the mind for development and there was the need to apply knowledge acquired in the classroom to the job market.

She indicated that jobs in the system was limited and government cannot employ all. The youth should therefore spend time to develop their skills.

She said "don't be a square peg in a round hole, find your passion. Create the opportunity because opportunities come to those who are prepared."

The parliament enables the youth to deliberate on matters of importance to their development and serves as an advocacy tool for them to contribute immensely to national growth and community development.

The youth parliament concluded that Career Guidance and Counselling must be instituted in schools to help students in determining their career path when they get out of school.

Members of the youth parliament asked Government to prioritize National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.