41 000 youths get training

GOVERNMENT in 2016 trained 41 000 youths in various disciplines under technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills development programmes.

The Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Ministry led the training in line with the Zim-Asset goal of creating employment.

The programmes — which include Integrated Skills Outreach, Training for Rural Economic Empowerment and Quality Informal Apprenticeship — were conducted at 42 vocational training centres.

Youth Minister Patrick Zhuwao said, “The Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Programme has also availed funding in the form of start-up capital for graduates under the youth development fund to enable them to start their own enterprises. The centres also provide incubation facilities for the graduates who have no operating space as well as a link with markets.”

Zimbabwe Youth Council assistant director for operations, Mr Sungano Chisina, said the training centres focused on all sectors of the economy including tourism, agriculture, ICTs and business.

“As the youths received training, the vocational training centres focused on technical and vocational training so it means we are able to create out of the 41 000 more than 41 000 jobs from the indigenous entrepreneurs,” he said.

“So there is job creation and we will be able to juggle unemployment as the economy is currently running on SMEs. Once that is strengthened, we have growth of the economy.

The assurance that we have is that on graduation, most of the youths were either attached to a mentor, attached through linkage of the market or to a facility through the normal banking channels for example Agribank.”

The Youth Ministry recently identified 39 385 entrepreneurs who have created 93 692 jobs around the country.