By Seraphine Nyuiemedi
Vocational training expert and fashion entrepreneur, Monica Akoeley Amegashie-Viglo, has urged young people in Ghana to acquire practical skills in addition to their academic qualifications. She says skills training has become essential in preparing the youth to become employable, innovative, and self-reliant.
Mrs Amegashie-Viglo, who heads the Garment Technology Centre in Ho, noted that academic excellence alone no longer guarantees employment. She observed an increasing number of high-performing students, including SHS and university graduates, enrolling in vocational programmes to broaden their opportunities.“Even those who are very good in school are now learning skill training,” she noted.
The former Volta Regional Vice Chairperson of the Ghana National Tailors and Dressmakers Association said attitudes towards vocational careers must change. She emphasised that the notion that only academically weak students learn a trade is outmoded, adding that the new trend must be encouraged to tackle youth unemployment. “People think that those who are not good in school should come and learn a trade. That’s not true anymore,” she said. “Now the SHS graduates, even university graduates, are coming to learn” she said.
With 33 years of experience, the nationally certified dressmaker and NVTI trainer has trained more than 250 young women, many of whom now run their own fashion businesses or have advanced to technical universities. Her goal is for every young Ghanaian to complement their formal education with at least one practical skill.
Mrs Amegashie-Viglo stressed that fashion and design require precision, mathematics, and problem-solving, making the field intellectually demanding. She explained that vocational work is not a backup option but a discipline that blends creativity with academic knowledge.
The Garment Technology Centre provides training in male and female garment production, fashion design, and modelling. It also offers industrial attachments to students from SHSs, technical institutions, and universities.
She encouraged parents to allow their children to complete Senior High School before enrolling in vocational programmes, saying SHS graduates adapt more quickly to technical training.
A member of the Association of Ghana Industries and a registered facilitator with CTVET, Mrs Amegashie-Viglo said her passion for youth development is inspired by her own journey in fashion and her work as a church leader and marriage counsellor. “When I see people wear beautiful clothes, I feel inspired to create,” she recalled.
She noted that skills training not only provides career opportunities but also boosts creativity and confidence. According to her, any profession can be complemented by a practical skill, which serves as an additional source of income. “You can be a banker or whatever you want to be, but if you have a skill, it will help you financially,” she said.
With an active social media presence of more than 200,000 followers, she continues to use digital platforms to promote vocational training.
Mrs Monica Akoeley Amegashie-Viglo maintains that blending classroom learning with hands-on skills remains the surest way to secure the future of young people.
