The government is expanding the National Apprenticeship Programme to give young people more opportunities to acquire practical, technical and vocational skills, Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has said.

She said the programme is intended to help young people gain skills that can be translated into livelihoods.

“Our education must open doors to opportunity. Those who want to learn a skill must be able to do so, and hard work must offer a credible path to a better life,” she said.

Prof. Naana Jane said creating opportunities for young people was an important responsibility of government, particularly as countries in West Africa confront economic pressures and other challenges.

“That responsibility first belongs to those of us entrusted with leadership,” she said.

She was speaking at a gathering of Catholic youth in Accra on the theme “Take courage: Catholic youth as actors and agents of peace, hope in West Africa.”

The Vice President said the National Apprenticeship Programme formed part of broader government efforts to expand opportunities for young people.

She also mentioned the Ejumaura programme, which provides entrepreneurship training, business development support and access to funding, and targets 10,000 youth and businesses each year.

She further highlighted the One Million Coders programme, which she said was aimed at equipping Ghanaians with digital skills needed for a rapidly changing economy.

“These are investments in young people, but they are also investments in the stability and prosperity of our country,” Prof. Naana Jane said.

She, however, acknowledged that government programmes alone would not address every challenge facing young people.

“The work must continue to improve education, create more opportunities, support enterprise, and build an economy capable of creating decent and productive work,” she said.