Forty youth drawn from the host communities of AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine have been enrolled into the Mines apprenticeship programme for one-year.
The programme was designed to train Mine’s host community youth in vocations identified as gaps in industry and society.
The skills gap includes heavy duty machine operation (ADT, dump truck), electrical and mechanical technicians, welding, and fabrication.
Addressing the gathering at Akyempim Social Centre, Mr Stephen Adjei, Senior Manager-Sustainability, said, “To bridge this gap, forty community members have been selected through a competitive process to undergo a comprehensive one-year apprenticeship training at the Obuasi Engineering School, facilitated by Mac Partners Training Institute.”
He explained, “As part of the package, Iduapriem Mine would bear the full cost of tuition, accommodation, transportation, Minerals Commission Certificate, and provide each trainee a monthly stipend of GH¢2,000 throughout the period of apprenticeship.”
“To our trainees, congratulations on your well-deserved selection. As you step into this programme, embrace the opportunities to learn, question, innovate and contribute to the positive transformation of your community and our industry,” Mr Adjei advised.
Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager, Community Relations Africa of AngloGold, said, “We have been running this programme for the past four years, and we can count about three senior managers in Obuasi Mine who went through this apprenticeship programme. I am assuring the youth they will have the best experience during the training period.
You are going to Obuasi as ambassadors of AngloGold Ashanti host communities from Iduapriem Mine. Please leave a very good record to encourage the Mine to continue the programme so others can benefit,” he added.
Nana Kwabena Amu III, Odikro of Akyem, who chaired the function, thanked Iduapriem mine for empowering the youth in its operational area to have a profession of their own.
Mr Francis Adomako, President of Unity Youth Zone Network, a youth group within the Mine’s catchment, on behalf of the trainees expressed gratitude to the Mine for equipping the youth with employable skills to make them productive.
