The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology has introduced a certificate course in modern jewellery design and production. With state-of-the-art equipment, the course will afford local jewellery manufacturers the opportunity to improve their skills. The Jewellery Design and Technology Center of the university hopes to train over 600 manufacturers and unemployed youth free of charge over the next two years. The programme is a partnership of Ghana Government, World Bank, Danish International Development Agency, African Development Bank, Japan International Co-operation Agency and German Technical Co-operation. One hundred and thirty students, including 48 females have so far enrolled for the training. The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training is providing technical support, while the Precious Minerals Marketing Company has also agreed to supply gold, silver and other training materials. Students would be introduced to computer-aided design (CAD) and manufacturing technology to enhance their competiveness on the global market. The project is designed to produce technocrats for jewelry industry by imparting training through all spheres of jewelry designing, manufacturing, setting and finishing through CAD/CAM Technology as they receive theoretical and practical training. Project Coordinator, Ohene Annor tells Nhyira News trainees would be presented with secured future as they move with modern trends in jewellery production. He noted that Ghana will soon become a major exporter or jewellery. “We have chunk of contracts; we can’t do it alone. We want to pass some to the jewelers. After training and setting incubators for them, we will give them contracts. If they perform to the standard and quality that we want, we will continue to give them contracts”, Mr. Annor stated. The JDTC will also serve as liaison and search for potential business partners which will include financial institutions for successful jewelers upon completion of course. Ghana is the second nation in Sub-Sahara Africa after South Africa where this state-of-the-art facility is available for training and production. One of the core machinery is the CNC- machine which has the capacity to produce several thousands of perfectly crafted jewelries at a go. It has a special computer attached. A lecturer at the center, Robert Lotsu explains how the CNC machine works: “What you can use the whole day to do, this machine can use just some few minutes to finish it up. Any job from here if you compare it to those from local goldsmiths in town, there’s vast difference between the work pieces.” The students will also benefit from entrepreneurial skills training, management practices, accounting and book- keeping after which they will be supported to set up their own businesses.