Bookbinding and Photographic Screen Printing: A Factor to Mitigate Unemployment among Graphic Design Graduates in Ghana

The primary focus of this study was to look at how bookbinding and photographic screen printing, courses within the Graphic Design programme at both Traditional and Technical Universities in Ghana with specific emphasis on Takoradi Technical University, could be used to mitigate graduate unemployment menace in the country. The objectives of this study were to identify types of hand bookbinding, hand photographic screen printing, tools, equipment and materials used and using both as a means to mitigate unemployment among Graphic Design graduates. The research design employed was qualitative research approach since the nature of this study required comprehensively dependence on observation, document reviews, content analysis and verbal data from appropriate stakeholders, well-versed in hand bookbinding and photographic screen printing in order to draw all-inclusive conclusion. Findings revealed that with appropriate training and set-up funding capital, Graphic Design students from Takoradi Technical University will be able to set-up their own businesses after graduation. The study recommends that sufficient teaching and learning resources including state-of-the art studios and laboratories and start-up funding capital should be provided to the Technical Universities and graduated graphic design students by the government to help set-up their own businesses after graduation. Additionally, the government should have in place a reliable data on graduate unemployment so as to inform policy and create enabling atmosphere for graduates intended to set-up their private businesses after graduation in order to contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of Ghana.