Alhaji Adams Nuhu, Awutu- Senya, District Chief Executive has asked parents to encourage their children to develop their talents to enable them to add to their income in future.

He said it was unfortunate that a lot of people had mistaken their talents to be their hobby and therefore maintained it at that level.

Alhaji Nuhu was speaking at the sixth graduation ceremony of the Soulmate Vocational Institute over the weekend at Kasoa, in the Central Region.

He said decoration and culinary business would help the youth to add to their income and urged parents to encourage their wards to go into the commerce.

Alhaji Nuhu said hobbies are professions but most often people neglected them for other jobs that did not make any impact on them.

He said to assist the youth to identify their hobbies; government had introduced skills training to develop their talents.

“It is very important that as human beings we pray to God to reveal our talents. If you are into a profession that you are not making any impact, know that that profession is not your talent, “he said.

Soulmate Vocational Institute was established in 1995 at Dansoman, a suburb of Accra with a student population of four.

The school, which was moved to Kasoa CP Junction in 2001, has now 48 students offering six month courses in Floral and Décor Art, Cookery, Cake Making, Designing and Pastries.

Mrs Gifty Lagble, Proprietress of the School said the authorities were able to reach the height they found themselves through determination and will- power, which overcame the initial setbacks.

She commended management, staff and students of the school for their cooperation and focus.

“I can also say without hesitation that God has been good to us and we have every reason to thank him,” she said.

She said plans are underway to open another branch of the school at Kasoa New Market on the Kasoa-Bawjawse road to give equal opportunity to the communities there to enhance their skills.

The Proprietress commended the graduates for their excellent performance in their final examinations and appealed to parents and well wishers to encourage them to continue to shine in their profession.

Mr Michael Lagble, Director of the School said the aim of the academic facility is to make the students experts in the culinary and event management business, in order to compete favourably with their counterparts outside.

He said the challenges out there are not easy, but he expressed the hope that with the training they had acquired they would excel in wherever field they found themselves.

“The journey to a successful job has just begun and I will like to urge you to support the decoration business to create more jobs for the youth, “he said.

Mr Dennis Botchway, the only male among the graduate, urged his male counterparts to enroll to enhance their future.

He said although people perceived that the industry was for women, he thought it was for both sexes as most at times women could not lift up heavy items or climb up to high heights to carry out decorations.

Mr Botchway, who was a former staff of Crystal Palm Hotel in Accra, said he planned doing a course in Hotel Management before going back to work.

Awards were given to four graduates for distinguishing themselves. They were presented with certificates, testimonies and bouquet.

Ms Elizabeth Agana was the Overall Best Student, Ms Sarah Mensah was adjudged the most creative student, Ms Esther Batsa, hard working student while Ms Elizabeth Mensah was awarded for being the first student to register for the course at Kasoa.

Ms Agana told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that it was dedication, punctuality and hard work that brought her so far and urged those behind to be respectful and take instructions with humility so that they could also be singled out in future.