The successes and failures of government led skills training programmes is well documented. The failure of most of these programmes has been attributed to the lack of comprehensive exit strategy right from their exit from the training to starting up their businesses. The Youth Employment Agency aside setting up the trained youth will take further steps to help incubate their businesses and create a platform to position them for the demands of the modern society. This platform will be known as the ‘ARTISAN DIRECTORY’.

The directory will be a platform and virtual store for trained craftsmen and women (sculptors, carpenters, masons, tilers, hairsdressers, shoemakers, fashion designers, plumbers, metal workers, mechanics etc) to market their trade. It is an innovative platform that will provide sustainable livelihoods to youth with vocational and technical skills. The directory will have a web and mobile application platform where individuals can request services from the comfort of their homes. The YEA artisan directory will be an active database of Artisans (trained and certified) with basic information such as company details, services, location and other relevant details.

This directory will form part of the comprehensive exit strategy providing sustainable livelihoods for the youth. We are seeking to recruit over 5000 beneficiaries who will go through skills development, capacity development and refresher courses at an estimated cost of around Forty Million Ghana Cedis (GHC 40m).