The company’s skills development and certification programme has not only equipped young people with practical knowledge but has also provided them with the necessary certifications to secure contracts within the mine and beyond.

Beneficiaries say the programme has gone beyond training to provide nationally recognized certification, enabling them to secure contracts both within the mine and in other corporate institutions.

One such beneficiary, Emmanuel Owusu, who studied electricals under the programme, revealed that he has since established Horse Electricals, a company now employing 30 workers and winning contracts nationwide. “But for this programme, I would have been a liability rather than the asset I have become to my family and community,” he said, crediting AGA for transforming his life.

Another beneficiary, Michael Atuobi Boateng, shared a similar success story. After training at MAC Partners Training Centre, he founded MEF Electricals, which currently employs 20 people and has secured contracts with the mine and other companies. He also once served as a trainer at the centre, an experience he described as unforgettable.

These testimonies were shared during the matriculation of the third cohort of 100 artisans at Anyinam in Obuasi.

Addressing the gathering, Ing. Isaac Boakye Aduenin, Head of Engineering at AGA Obuasi Mine, emphasised that AngloGold Ashanti’s purpose in mining is to empower people and advance societies. He said the training programme was a practical demonstration of this vision, as it not only builds individual capacity but also contributes to the development of stronger Obuasi communities.

The new cohort will undertake six months of training in welding and fabrication, general and auto electricals, electronics, and auto mechanics, with certification from the National Vocational and Technical Institute (NVTI) and the Energy Commission.