Mutati Launches Automotive and Heavy Equipment Workshops at ZAMITA 

A new chapter in Zambia’s skills development drive has opened with the launch of Automotive and Heavy Equipment Repair Workshops at the Zambia Industrial Training Academy (ZAMITA) in Ndola.

The initiative, valued at US$435,000, is the result of a partnership between the Zambian Government, the Swedish Government, Volvo, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). It aims to bridge the skills gap facing young Zambians while boosting employability in key sectors such as mining and construction.

Speaking at the launch, Minister of Science and Technology, Felix Mutati, described the facility as “a beacon of hope” for the nation’s youth. He stressed that the workshops were designed not only to provide jobs but to inspire entrepreneurship.

“The future belongs to young people with practical skills. With this programme, they will not only seek employment but create it,” he said.

The launch follows the success of the programme’s first phase, which has already trained more than 600 students. Notably, 15% of graduates were women—an achievement Mutati hailed as a significant step towards inclusivity in technical fields.

Many graduates are already employed or undertaking internships across the country, underlining the programme’s tangible impact.

With state-of-the-art machinery and tools, the workshops will serve as a launchpad for skills that will enable Zambian youth to service heavy equipment and compete in the global market.

“This is more than a building,” Mutati noted. “It is an investment in Zambia’s greatest resource—its people.”