The Design and Technology Institute has broken ground on a $28 million Multi-Skills Campus at Berekuso in the Eastern Region, in a major move expected to reshape technical and vocational education and training in Ghana and across Africa.
The project, described as a future Centre of Excellence, is aimed at addressing the country’s growing skills gap while positioning Ghana as a hub for workforce development. Sited on 11.29 acres in the Akuapem Hills opposite Ashesi University, the campus is designed to accommodate about 1,500 residential students annually and train up to 3,500 learners each year when fully operational, serving as a Pan-African workforce development hub that bridges the gap between classroom theory and industry practice.
The groundbreaking ceremony attracted senior government officials, traditional leaders, industry players, diplomats, and development partners, underscoring the national importance of the initiative. Speaking at the event, the Minister for Youth Development and Empowerment, George Opare Addo, highlighted what he described as a persistent disconnect between education and industry in Ghana.
“Every year, 300,000 young people enter the labour force, yet employers still struggle to find skilled talent,” he said, stressing that the challenge is not a lack of ambition among the youth but the absence of practical, industry-relevant training that meets the needs of employers.
Founder and President of DTI, Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, described the project as a defining milestone in the institute’s ten-year journey to transform skills training in Ghana. She explained that the institute was established in response to a growing skills gap she identified through her work in the manufacturing sector and has since focused on delivering hands-on, industry-driven training.
From an initial cohort of 32 students in 2019, DTI has expanded to six campuses nationwide, training more than 48,900 young people and supporting over 81,000 into employment or meaningful work, with pass rates exceeding 90 per cent. Female participation has also seen significant growth, increasing from 21 per cent to over 50 per cent, while the institute has built partnerships with more than 160 industry players.
Despite these gains, demand continues to outstrip capacity, with more than 4,000 applications recorded in 2025 alone, making the Berekuso campus a necessary expansion to meet growing interest in technical and vocational education.
The first phase of the project is being supported by a €3 million grant under the African Union’s Skills Initiative for Africa, with financing from KfW, and is expected to be completed within 24 months. Facilities to be developed include two three-storey academic blocks, a two-storey administrative block, a 160-booth welding and fabrication workshop described as the largest in Ghana, advanced non-destructive testing laboratories, industrial training spaces, a student centre, an amphitheatre, and community-use facilities. New programmes to be introduced will cover industrial plumbing, industrial electrical systems, cleaning science, and agricultural mechanisation.
The project has also received strong backing from corporate Ghana, with Fidelity Bank Ghana not only donating 100,000 dollars towards the construction of the student centre but also pledging continued support through financial literacy programmes, entrepreneurship training, and access to financial services to help students transition into sustainable livelihoods. The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and Modec Production Services Ghana Ltd. have also provided materials to support construction works.
Traditional authorities, including Odeɛfoɔ Oteng Korankye II and Osabarima Nana Ansah Sasraku III, lent their support to the project, offering blessings and describing it as a significant investment in the future of the youth and the development of the Berekuso community.
Mrs. Swaniker used the occasion to call for stronger partnerships between government, the private sector, and development organisations to sustain and expand the initiative, urging stakeholders to contribute through scholarships, equipment donations, and employment pathways for graduates.
“This project is bold and ambitious. Let us move from support to partnership,” she said, adding that the future of Africa would be defined not by its potential but by deliberate investments in skills and human capital.
The Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Ghana, Julian Opuni, also highlighted the growing global skills mismatch, noting that while about one billion young people are expected to enter the global workforce over the next decade, only around 460 million jobs will be available. He stressed that DTI’s model focuses on building capability rather than just credentials, equipping young people with the tools to secure or create meaningful employment.
The Berekuso Multi-Skills Campus is expected to play a critical role in preparing Ghana’s workforce for the future, as the country continues to grapple with youth unemployment and a widening skills gap in key sectors of the economy.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com