As a sequel to the roll-out of new and revised modules of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), a four-day retreat session for the Executive Management and Senior Officers has been held to build their reflexes towards executing the ensuing task.

The retreat was geared toward transforming the Agency and repositioning it as the reference point of employment for the youth of Ghana in both the private and public sectors.

The retreat was also a strategic meeting backed by the governing Board of the Agency to set the agenda for the upcoming working year 2023 and to set a pace of conspicuously reducing the rate of unemployment in Ghana.

At the opening of the four-day session, the CEO Kofi Baah Agyepong expressed concern over the need to make the Agency a very formidable entity capable of speedily curtailing the rising spate of unemployment in the country.

He reminded the management team members of the sensitive and strategic position of the Youth Employment Agency at the heart of government of Ghana’s employment Agenda.

Setting his vision for the upcoming year, Mr Agyepong emphasised a new drive that will greatly support skills acquisition and development based on market and industry demand considering the economic structure and strata of the country.

“Skill training, acquisition and development are one of the major solutions to our country’s employment issues.

"The real estate industry today is looking for tilers, plumbers, electricians, and gardeners amongst others while the oil industry is searching for local participation in mechanic works, machine handling etc.,

"Can we as a youth Agency not take advantage of the government's visionary 'One District, One Factory' project, provide Labour and even venture into the production of raw materials like sugarcane for the Komenda Sugar Factory?” he questioned.

Mr Agyepong hinted that 2023 would also see more traditional modules rolled out to cater for the teeming youth who are completing Senior High Schools (SHSs) and are waiting to enter the job market.

According to him, the immediate modules earmarked to be run will include Youth in Community Security Services i.e. Community Protection Assistants (CPAs) with the Ghana Police Service and the Youth in Prisons Service module with the Ghana Prisons Service.

The CEO and the management team also intimated plans to embark on flagship projects in the various regions and districts especially in the areas of the agricultural value chain to support the food basket of the country.

One fruitful outcome of the retreat was the resolution of ensuring an effective exit strategy for beneficiaries who enrol onto the Agency’s traditional modules in transitioning from the two-year cycle to permanent employment.

Skill development was one avenue considered for the exit strategy while the other option would require the beneficiary institutions to permanently employ some of the outstanding performers on the modules.

The meeting also set the tone for re-organizing some directorates and setting short and medium-term objectives that fit into the organisational strategy for the next two years.