AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi mine has announced the successful completion and graduation of the third batch of 101 young individuals from its youth apprenticeship program, which cost the company no less than 3 million Ghana cedis.

The graduates, drawn from the mine’s operational area, spent a year enhancing their skills in welding and fabrication, electrical technology, and mechanical technology at the Mac Partners Training Institute.

Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager of Sustainability at AGA, said that when the Obuasi redevelopment project began, AngloGold Ashanti decided to chart a different path regarding local employment by learning from the best practices elsewhere.

He said that this led to the creation of the community youth apprenticeship program in 2020, which has given local youth the opportunity to undergo skills development training to prepare them for the job market.

The Senior Manager of Sustainability affirmed that the company believes that investing in education and vocational training of youths in its host communities will not only enhance the employability of beneficiaries but also contribute to the overall development and prosperity of Obuasi.

“We are committed to sustaining this program, recognizing the impact it has on the economy of our host communities. Hence, we will train 100 people every year as enshrined in our 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan,” Mr. Baidoo said.

Seth Quaye, Managing Director of Mac Partners Training Institute, said that the graduates have acquired valuable knowledge and developed practical skills that are the backbone of industries, not only in the mining sector, but also in other sectors where they can establish their own businesses.

“I advise the graduates to continue to practice, as said, practice makes perfect. Seek out opportunities to apply their skills, and embrace challenges as a chance to grow,” Mr. Quaye added.

Nana Baffour Mireku IV (Adansihene Gyaasehene), who represented the Adansihene, lauded the efforts of AngloGold Ashanti to give practical knowledge and hands-on experience to the local youth. He appealed to the company to expand the program to accommodate more of the youth who are looking for such opportunities.

Stephen Tecku, the Obuasi Municipal Coordinating Director, who represented the Municipal Chief Executive, also commended AngloGold Ashanti for sustaining the program for the past three years. He said that the training program will enable the graduates to knock on the doors of opportunities. He appealed to the company to liaise with subcontractors working with the mine to extend employment opportunities to the graduates.

Lydia Obireboa Badu and Dasha Tawiah, the best female graduate and the overall best student, respectively, spoke to the media after the event. They praised AngloGold Ashanti for the training they have acquired and the stipends given to them throughout the training. They said that the training has equipped them with the skills to be employable and to also set up their own businesses.