Govt and Industry Collaborate on Skills Development with Seventy Million Kwacha Contracts Signing
The government and industry have joined forces to sign contracts worth seventy million kwacha towards enhancing workforce employability and addressing skills gaps in Zambia.
The contracts, aimed at facilitating employer-based apprenticeship and in-service training, will benefit over four thousand three hundred employees across twenty-two companies.
The signing ceremony, held in Lusaka, underscored the government’s commitment to Technical, Education, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) as a cornerstone for socio-economic development.
Minister of Technology and Science, Felix Mutati, emphasized the importance of investing in workforce development to drive productivity and meet industry demands.
Permanent Secretary Dr. Brilliant Habeenzu highlighted the government’s continuous support for skills development, citing the allocation of funds to the Technical Education Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) and the Skills Development Levy as crucial enablers.
These investments aim to bridge the skills gap and enhance industry productivity through collaboration between government and industry.
The minister praised participating employers for their public commitment to skills development, noting their active involvement in work-based training and apprenticeship programs.
He singled out Lumwana Mine for its notable commitment to nurturing talent and driving sustainable development through apprenticeship initiatives.
The minister emphasized the importance of work-based training in equipping individuals with relevant skills and problem-solving abilities, essential for maintaining high productivity levels and adapting to technological advancements in various sectors, particularly mining.
TEVETA Director General Cleopus Takaiza expressed gratitude for industry’s proactive role in addressing skills gaps and praised the collaborative efforts between industry and training providers.
He emphasized the significance of the signed contracts in creating a TEVET-Industry driven sector that aligns with the needs of the workforce.
