Take Advantage of Yiedie Project to Develop Entrepreneurial Skills - PWDs Urged

By David Adadevoh

Persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been urged to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the Ghana's construction sector to get employed or develop their entrepreneurial skills.

Mrs Vera Kafui Mills-Odoi, Project Director, Youth Inclusive Entrepreneurial Development Initiative for Employment, Ghana (YIEDIE) Project who made the call said most PWDs felt that they could not play any role in the construction sector and as such were not availing themselves for projects tailored at helping them to be a key role in the sector.

"The YIEDIE project is also tailored to equip PWDs with the skills to develop their entrepreneurial skills in the construction sector," she said at the YIEDIE Job Readiness and Mentoring fair held in Kumasi.

The event which attracted scores of the youth from Kumasi and its environs sought to stimulate discussions around the need for a comprehensive support system to complement investments in skills development as part of efforts to prepare Ghana's growing youth population for the construction job market.

It was also to serve as a catalyst for building partnership between the public and private sector for skills development and mentoring.

Mrs Mills-Odoi who is also Youth Ambassador in Construction explained that the growing unemployment rate among the youth posed a serious threat to the country, stating that was the reason for starting the YIEDIE project to build the technical and entrepreneurial skills of the youth between 17 to 24 years so as to address the skilled manpower shortage in the construction sector.

She said the YIEDIE project offered technical skills and entrepreneurial training for the beneficiaries and also links them to job opportunities in the construction sector.

Mrs Mills-Odoi indicated that the project had impacted positively on the youth and urged the PWDs to join.

Arc. (Mrs) Gizella Tetteh-Agbotui, Zella Architects speaking at a mentoring session during the programme advised the youth to work with honesty, integrity and accountability.

Mr Samuel Amegayibor, Executive Secretary, GREDA also urged the participants to know their competence level and be ready to learn new skills.

Participants who turned up during the fair were offered opportunity to have an exposure to the various functions within the highly competitive construction sector and partner with established construction firms to create opportunities for exposure, placements and internship.

The fair was also attended by some accomplished businessmen and women within the construction sector who offered trainees guidelines as to how to stand successful in their respective fields of business.

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