Administered under the Ministry of Youth and Sports (MOYS), the PIA provides Gambian youth with skills to develop themselves.
The PIA is part of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award framework, a global programme that equips young people with essential life skills, fosters personal growth and prepares them for the future.
Role of PIA in Youth Development
Skills Training and Vocational Development: PIA provides practical training in various trades, empowering young people with skills for employment and entrepreneurship. These skills include carpentry, joinery, welding and metalwork, tailoring and fashion design, shoe-making and leatherwork, bakery and pastry production, and leadership and character building.
The PIA instils discipline, resilience and leadership qualities such as entrepreneurship and economic empowerment in youth.
Graduates are equipped with business skills, enabling them to start their own businesses or join the workforce with technical expertise such as community service and volunteering.
The PIA fosters a sense of civic responsibility by encouraging youth to give back to their communities, contributing to national development.
Participants who complete PIA programmes receive globally recognised awards such as bronze, silver, and gold.
The PIA enhances youth career and their academic prospects. It provides alternative education and training pathways for young people. It also reduces unemployment by equipping young people with employable skills, and it promotes self-reliance through entrepreneurship and skills training.
The PIA supports national economic growth by producing skilled professionals in key industries.
In short, the PIA is more than a training institution; it is a transformational set of programmes that empowers Gambian youth to become self-sufficient, responsible and productive citizens.
Meanwhile, the Tailoring Department of the PIA successfully hosted the First Edition of the Tailoring and Fashion Design Exhibition 2025.
The exciting event showcased young people who are fully prepared and equipped with practical skills, ready to make their mark in the fashion industry. Students displayed their exceptional creativity and craftsmanship through unique fashion designs and outfits they created themselves.
As part of the exhibition, students performed live demonstrations, including the dismantling and reassembling of modern sewing machines, as well as sewing various fashionable styles.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Sunkary Badjie, Deputy Director of PIA, and Amadou Cham, Skills Training Centre Manager, emphasised the importance of skill development in today's world.
Badjie and Cham highlighted the PIA’s vital role in equipping young individuals with essential skills, unlocking their potential, and fostering life-changing abilities.
They expressed sincere appreciation to the trainers for their dedication in imparting knowledge and to the parents for trusting the Centre with their children’s development.
