Peter Matika, [email protected]
BULAWAYO City Council (BCC) is converting disused municipal properties into vocational training and innovation hubs to expand opportunities for young people to acquire practical skills and start businesses.
The local authority has already transformed Ikhwezi Beer Garden in Pelandaba suburb into a vocational training centre, where hotel and catering lessons are underway, while plans are at an advanced stage to establish solar installation and house-wiring training laboratories.
Council has also handed over Magwegwe Beer Garden to its Department of Housing and Community Services for conversion into an innovation hub and skills training centre, with potential partners being engaged to support the refurbishment.
The initiative seeks to put underutilised municipal infrastructure to productive use while expanding access to practical training and enterprise development.
According to the latest council minutes, the hotel and catering course is already running at Ikhwezi, while plans are underway to establish additional training facilities with assistance from SNV Zimbabwe.
“The hotel and catering class is already conducting lessons at the centre and plans are underway to finalise setting up of solar installation and house wiring training labs with the assistance of SNV Zimbabwe,” said council.
On Magwegwe Beer Garden, council said the facility had been handed over to the Department of Housing and Community Services for conversion into an innovation hub and skills training centre.
The local authority is engaging potential partners to assist with refurbishment and development of the facility into a fully-fledged training centre. Interested organisations have been encouraged to approach the department to discuss possible partnerships.
The developments come as Bulawayo operates 21 vocational and entrepreneurship training centres offering practical courses aimed at preparing young people for employment and self-employment.
The courses include building, carpentry, plumbing, welding, motor mechanics, agriculture, horticulture, solar installation, house wiring, mobile phone and digital television repairs, hotel and catering, cutting and design, hairdressing, beauty therapy and art.
Council said the centres offer assessed and examinable courses, with students receiving council certificates and undergoing trade testing in their respective fields.
The training programmes are intended to equip graduates with practical skills that can help them secure employment or establish their own businesses.
Converting additional municipal properties into training facilities could provide more space for practical instruction and widen access to specialised courses. However, the Magwegwe project is at the development stage, with council yet to announce its projected cost, completion date or expected student intake.
The availability of equipment, qualified instructors and adequate operational funding will be critical to determining the programmes the proposed hub can offer.
Council has also acknowledged that resource constraints limit its ability to provide start-up capital and business support to graduates. Some development partners, however, have assisted selected beneficiaries with equipment and matching grants.
Under a matching-grant arrangement supported by SNV, students raise half of their project costs, with the organisation contributing an equivalent amount. SNV and World Vision have also provided training kits to students they supported during their training.
The city has further established the Youth Light Industry Centre in Old Pumula in partnership with World Vision, providing incubation space for graduates seeking to establish businesses.
A fully operational Magwegwe hub could complement these existing initiatives by bringing skills development and enterprise incubation together, depending on the programmes and resources eventually made available.
Council also operates 16 youth and recreation centres across the city. The facilities provide skills training, sports, arts, behaviour-change programmes and peer education, offering young people spaces to learn, socialise and participate in supervised activities.
