Twenty-eight trainees from Ghana, Nigeria, and Liberia have graduated from the East Legon branch of the Mikesh Skills Training Academy after successfully completing a six-month intensive training programme designed to improve their employability in the beauty and cosmetology industry.

The ceremony, which marked the 8th edition of the academy’s graduation, was held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the forecourt of the East Legon branch, a suburb of Accra. 

It celebrated the commitment of both trainees and instructors to advancing technical and vocational education, particularly in trades such as hairdressing and cosmetology.

Mikesh Skills Training Academy, accredited by the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), offers hands-on training with a strong emphasis on practical skills, including natural hair styling, dreadlocks, and a range of cosmetology techniques.

As part of the event, graduates mounted hair exhibitions and live model demonstrations to showcase the advanced techniques and creativity they had acquired during their training. Organisers described the ceremony as a testament to the academy’s role in empowering young people with market-ready skills to support entrepreneurship and job creation.

In his address, the Chief Executive Officer of Mikesh Mikesh Skills Training Academy, a subsidiary of Mikesh Global Business Limited, Nii Klortia Ayikwei Tutu Alagmle I, said his motivation to champion natural hair care stemmed from observing widespread hair damage among women caused by harsh chemical treatments.

“I saw dreadlocks and natural hair as the way out. Our women are suffering, and their hair is breaking and shedding. Alopecia, women’s baldness, is more common than people think, mostly because of harsh chemical use,” he stated.

He explained that his diverse career journey spanning barbering, beautician work, music, and herbal practice exposed him to the extent of hair damage and inspired a mission to promote safer, natural alternatives.

“I started propagating the gospel according to dreadlocks and natural hair. I am the first person in Ghana who initiated a salon for dreadlocks and natural hair. When people saw the need, they wanted to learn, so I added the skills training academy. This is our eighth graduation, and more people are coming. He said.

Nii Alagmle I, who also serves as Chief of Tabora under the Asere Kotopong Stool, noted that graduates of the academy are helping to address what he described as hair pollution by offering clients chemical-free hair solutions that protect and restore healthy growth. 

“People’s hair problems are being solved gradually. We have made it by finding solutions to the hair pollution,” he added.

He urged the government and regulators to broaden national support for natural hair education and to extend stronger support to natural hair and dreadlocks training as a viable alternative to chemical-based beauty practices saying that the beauty sector’s current focus remains heavily tilted toward chemical treatments. 

“It’s about time the government collaborates with Mikesh Skills Training Academy and sees how we can fuse dreadlocks and natural hair into the mainstream. Even Members of Parliament and corporate professionals now prefer natural styles”. He stated.

The CEO also highlighted health concerns associated with some traditional salon equipment, including hair dryers, which he claimed may contribute to eye strain and other potential health risks adding that natural hair treatment provides a healthier alternative requiring fewer invasive processes.

Encouraging the new graduates, he advised them to uphold the ethics, discipline, and customer service principles taught at the academy. 

The revered Chief reminded them that they can begin earning immediately with the starter kit provided. 

“You don’t need a salon or a kiosk. With the starter kit we give you, you can work house to house and make money. A lot of people who graduated are already making a living from this.” He said.

One of the graduates, Chioma Emmanuella, expressed gratitude for the academy’s supportive training environment. 

“The journey has not been easy, but by the grace of God and determination, I am where I am today,” she said, adding that she gained not only technical skills but also confidence, professionalism, and customer care competencies.

She encouraged unemployed youth to consider enrolling in the programme. “Even if you don’t have money, come. Mikesh teaches for free sometimes. We go to exhibitions, free haircuts, and tours. It’s a whole lot just come,” she urged.

The academy specializes in natural hair treatment, dreadlock installation, maintenance techniques, and herbal hair therapy. Each six-month cohort receives intensive practical and theoretical coaching, ending with a certification recognised nationally under CTVET.

In addition to the graduation, distributors of the Mikesh line of dreadlock and natural hair products, many of whom were former students, were honoured with gift vouchers valued at GH₵5,000 each for outstanding performance in product promotion and sales.

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