Mr. THOMAS OPOKU DAMPTEY, Vice Chairman of the Asante Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association (GNTDA), is calling on the government to establish a startup fund to support apprentices who complete their fashion and dressmaking training.
According to Mr. THOMAS OPOKU DAMPTEY, many young people spend three or four years learning fashion design and dressmaking but face serious financial difficulties when they complete their apprenticeship.
He believes that providing access to startup capital could help newly trained fashion professionals establish their own businesses instead of leaving the fashion industry to pursue other forms of work.
Call for Government Startup Fund
Mr. THOMAS OPOKU DAMPTEY is proposing that the government establish a dedicated fund through which qualified apprentices who have completed their training can access startup capital.
Under his proposal, the money could be provided as a loan, allowing graduates to obtain the equipment and resources needed to begin their businesses.
He also believes that the repayment arrangement should give beneficiaries enough time to establish themselves before they are required to fully repay the funds.
Supporting Apprentices After Three or Four Years of Training
Apprenticeship training requires years of commitment. During this period, learners acquire practical skills from experienced masters and develop the knowledge needed to work in the fashion industry.
However, completing an apprenticeship does not automatically provide a graduate with the machines, workspace, materials or other resources needed to establish a business.
Mr. THOMAS OPOKU DAMPTEY is therefore calling for a system that does not end support when the training period is completed.
He believes that post-apprenticeship support should be considered an important part of helping young people turn their skills into sustainable businesses.
Association Could Help Guarantee Beneficiaries
Another part of Mr. DAMPTEY ‘s proposal is for the association to play a role in helping qualified graduates access the fund.
He suggested that the GNTDA could guarantee or support eligible learners seeking the loans, helping create a structured system through which trained apprentices can access startup capital.
Such an arrangement, if adopted, could also give the association a role in monitoring and supporting beneficiaries as they establish their businesses.
Preventing Trained Youth From Leaving Fashion
Mr. Damptey’s concern is that some young people who complete fashion apprenticeship programmes eventually move into other small businesses because they do not have enough capital to start working in the trade they have learned.
This can mean that years of practical training do not translate into long-term careers within the fashion industry.
A startup fund, he believes, could help bridge the gap between learning a skill and establishing a business.
For newly trained tailors, dressmakers and fashion designers, access to finance could make it easier to acquire sewing machines, materials and other basic resources needed to begin serving customers.
A Call for Long-Term Support
Mr. Damptey is also proposing that beneficiaries should be given a reasonable repayment period, potentially allowing them to use the capital for two or three years as they build their businesses and become financially stable.
The proposal highlights a broader issue within Ghana’s fashion apprenticeship system: how to help young people move successfully from training into entrepreneurship.
For the fashion industry to retain skilled young people, training may need to be accompanied by opportunities that allow graduates to put their skills into practice.
Supporting Ghana’s Fashion Industry
The fashion industry depends on a strong pipeline of skilled workers, from apprentices to master tailors, dressmakers, designers and fashion entrepreneurs.
Providing startup opportunities for trained young people could help more graduates remain in the industry, establish businesses and potentially create employment opportunities for others.
Mr. Damptey is therefore calling for discussions between the government, GNTDA and other relevant stakeholders on how a sustainable financing system could be developed for graduates of fashion apprenticeship programmes.
His proposal is centred on one key idea: training young people should be followed by practical support that gives them a realistic opportunity to use the skills they have acquired.
Have Your Say
Should the government establish a dedicated startup fund for young people who complete fashion apprenticeship programmes in Ghana?
What type of support would be most useful—sewing machines, cash capital, workspace, materials, or affordable loans?
Share your views in the comments and join the conversation about how Ghana can help trained fashion apprentices build sustainable careers.
Ghana Vogue Event
Ghana Vogue Event will continue to highlight the concerns, proposals, and initiatives of Ghana’s fashion professionals and apprenticeship communities as they work toward creating stronger opportunities for the next generation.
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