The Design & Technology Institute (DTI), Ghana’s leading private Technical and Vocational Education and Training institution, graduated its sixth cohort comprising 328 students on Thursday, 20 November 2025, since its inception in 2019 under the theme “Character By Design: Building Tomorrow With Purpose.”
The graduation ceremony, held at Agape New Testament Church in Accra, marked another milestone for an institution that has established itself as a leader in technical education excellence throughout West Africa.
In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, DTI has trained young Ghanaians through its flagship programmes in Precision Welding and Fabrication, Design, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. Among the graduates, females constitute 55 per cent. The institute’s innovative approach combines practical training with character development, producing graduates who are not only technically skilled but also well-prepared for the workplace.
“Education builds skill. Character transforms societies,” said Constance Elizabeth Swaniker, Founder and President of DTI. She emphasised that soft skills are vital in today’s world because they enhance how people interact, fostering teamwork, communication, and leadership. She added that programmes such as the DTI Challenge, Creative Arts, and co-curricular activities help learners discover their voice, improve their emotional intelligence, and build confidence to support them throughout life. “At DTI, we teach our learners that technical ability may open the door — but character, adaptability, and soft skills determine how far you go.”
The November 20th graduation ceremony marks a significant milestone for DTI, following the opening of a state-of-the-artWelding Training and Testing Centre in October this year. The centre features a 40-booth welding workshop, digital welding simulators, and a metallurgical testing laboratory. This innovative facility establishes Ghana as a regional hub for internationally accredited welding and fabrication skills.
Currently, DTI is the only dual TVET institution in Ghana, offering both theoretical and practical training within a production school framework, a unique feature in West Africa.
The graduation ceremony featured keynote speaker Will Senyo, Co-Founder and CEO of Impact Hub Accra, who addressed graduates on innovation and entrepreneurship. With over 15 years of experience in mobilising capital to support Africa’s innovation ecosystem, Will Senyo has raised more than $10 million in programme finance. Additionally, he led the development of the 20,000 sqm Ako Adjei Park innovation district in Accra, which hosts global venture capital-backed firms, local startups, and social entrepreneurs.
Students received institutional certificates and competed for prestigious awards, including Best Design Innovation, Best Entrepreneurship, Exemplary Leadership, and the Overall Best Student award.
DTI’s track record demonstrates its success in helping young people transition into wage and self-employment. Over 70% of its graduates secure jobs in sectors such as telecommunications, fashion and design, engineering, welding and fabrication, insurance, creative media, technology, hospitality, and interior design. Meanwhile, others have launched their own businesses with seed funding and incubation support.
DTI’s 70 per cent employability score, validated by the IFC assessment, demonstrates the institute’s commitment to co-designed curricula, entrepreneurship training, and industry-led instruction. The institute collaborates closely with the Ghana Standards Authority, the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), and the National Development Planning Commission to inform and shape national TVET policy.
The Mastercard Foundation’s commitment to DTI’s Precision Manufacturing and Job Creation programme, which supports the institute’s mission to provide quality technical education to women and vulnerable low-income groups, has enabled DTI to broaden its reach and influence across Ghana.
As DTI continues to lead in technical education across Ghana and Africa, Thursday’s graduation was more than a celebration of academic achievement — it was a declaration that Ghana’s youth are prepared, empowered, and ready to drive the country’s industrial transformation.
About the Design and Technology Institute (DTI)
The Design & Technology Institute (DTI) is a privately accredited institution specialising in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), established in 2016. It functions as a centre of excellence for youth employment through targeted training in welding and fabrication, Design Innovation and Entrepreneurship, as well as precision manufacturing.
DTI’s mission is to transform youth livelihoods through sustainable employment, aiming to become West Africa’s leading industrial training and prototyping centre within the next decade. DTI trains young people aged 18–27 from Senior High Schools, Technical Institutes and Universities across Ghana.
For more information, visit www.dtiafrica.com
About the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation partners with innovative organisations to enable young people in Africa and Indigenous communities in Canada to access respectable and rewarding employment opportunities. As one of the largest private foundations worldwide, it promotes education and financial inclusion to foster an inclusive and fair society.
The Foundation was established in 2006 by Mastercard as an independent organisation with its own Board of Directors and management.
Visit www.mastercardfdn.org for more information.
About Young Africa Works
Young Africa Works is the Mastercard Foundation’s flagship strategy to enable 30 million young Africans, especially women, to access dignified work by 2030. As Africa is expected to have the largest workforce in the world, this initiative provides young people with the right skills and opportunities to enhance the continent’s competitiveness and economic transformation.
The programme operates in Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Nigeria, in partnership with governments, private sector actors, and educational institutions.
