Deputy Minister Sibanda to hand over tools of trade to VTC graduates in Inyathi

The Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, Simelisizwe Sibanda, is today set to hand over tools of trade to graduates from Vocational Training Centres at an event to be held at Tatazela Hall in Inyathi.

The event is being coordinated by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, in partnership with Zimtech.

Last month, 2,800 Bulawayo and Matabeleland North VTC graduates were capped at a joint graduation ceremony held at Lobengula VTC.

Some of the courses that the youths undertook included building, catering, home décor, hairdressing, welding, and carpentry.

VTCs are essentially schools that equip students with skills for a particular job or trade. They focus on practical, hands-on learning rather than a purely academic curriculum.

They also typically provide programmes in various fields like carpentry, welding, cosmetology, computer repair, and mechanics.

The training is designed to prepare individuals for employment by imparting industry-specific knowledge and skills.

Some VTCs even assist graduates with job placements after graduation.

There are 45 VTCs across the country, although the Government plans to establish such a facility in each of the country’s 64 districts.

In his 2025 national budget presentation last week, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube announced that ZW$113.9 million has been budgeted for refurbishing and equipping Vocational Training Centres, which train and provide hands-on skills to the youth, enabling them to be competitive and viable entrepreneurs.

The 2025 National Budget will also support the National Youth Service Programme with an amount of ZW$72.1 million to nurture the youth into responsible citizens with values of patriotism and discipline. In total, ZW$1.02 billion has been allocated to the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training to support youth empowerment programmes and projects.