Former Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association, Mr. E. Y. Boakye encouraged newly trained female fashion professionals not to abandon their trade after marriage, urging them to continue using their skills and building their careers even after starting families.
Speaking to young women who have successfully completed three years of apprenticeship training, Mr. Boachi emphasized the importance of remaining active in the trade and making good use of the skills they have acquired.
His message comes at an important stage in the lives of the new graduates, who are now moving from apprenticeship into the next phase of their professional journeys.
Marriage Should Not End a Woman’s Career
According to Mr. Boakye, marriage and family responsibilities should not automatically mean that a woman has to give up the skills and profession she has worked hard to acquire.
He encouraged the graduates to understand that becoming wives and mothers does not remove their ability to remain productive and contribute to their families and communities through their professions.
For the young women who have spent three years learning fashion and garment-making skills, continuing their trade can provide an opportunity to remain economically active while developing their professional capabilities.
Making Use of Three Years of Training
Apprenticeship training requires time, discipline and commitment. The graduates have spent three years developing practical skills that can potentially become the foundation of careers and businesses.
Mr. Boachi’s advice encourages them to protect that investment by continuing to practice and improve their skills.
Fashion and dressmaking can offer flexibility that may allow professionals to operate businesses from different settings and manage their working schedules according to their circumstances.
For women who eventually have families, this flexibility can potentially make it possible to combine professional activities with family responsibilities.
Encouraging Women to Remain Economically Active
The message also highlights the broader importance of women’s participation in Ghana’s fashion and garment industry.
Women are an important part of the tailoring, dressmaking and fashion ecosystem, contributing as apprentices, dressmakers, designers, entrepreneurs and business owners.
When women continue to develop their skills and participate in economic activities, they can create opportunities for themselves while potentially contributing to household income and the wider economy.
For the newly graduated apprentices, the completion of their three-year training should therefore be viewed as a beginning rather than an ending.
A Message for the New Graduates
Mr. Boakye’s advice is ultimately a call for the young women to believe in the value of their skills.
Marriage and motherhood can bring new responsibilities, but the graduates can continue to find ways to use their professional abilities while navigating those responsibilities.
Rather than allowing their training to become unused after marriage, the young women are being encouraged to continue learning, practicing their craft and exploring opportunities within the fashion industry.
Their skills can potentially be developed into personal businesses, partnerships or other forms of professional work.
Building the Future of Ghana’s Fashion Industry
The development of Ghana’s fashion industry depends on maintaining a strong community of skilled professionals. Apprentices who complete their training are an important part of that future.
Encouraging female graduates to remain active in the industry can also help ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired through apprenticeship continue to be passed on to future generations.
The message from Mr. E. Y. Boakye therefore extends beyond the individual graduates. It is also a reminder of the importance of supporting women to remain engaged in vocational careers and entrepreneurship throughout different stages of their lives.
Ghana Vogue Event
Ghana Vogue Event continues to highlight apprenticeship, fashion education, women in fashion and the people working to strengthen Ghana’s garment and creative industries.
For the young women who have completed their three-year apprenticeship training, the next chapter is now beginning. With determination, continued learning and support, their skills can become a foundation for professional growth and economic opportunity.
The message from Mr. E. Y. Boakye is clear: the completion of training should not be the end of a woman’s journey in fashion. It should be the beginning of a career that can continue through the different stages of her life.
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