Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma, Sunday News Reporter
MORE youths are set to benefit from the recently launched digital skills training programme that has adopted a phased approach where an initial figure of 1,5 million youths will benefit first followed by another batch of two million to give a total of 3,5 million beneficiaries, an official has said.
The programme which was officially launched by President Mnangagwa at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre in Bulawayo during the commemoration of the National Youth Day will be carried out in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Speaking in an interview following the launch, Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Acting Director Communication and Advocacy Mr Ranson Madzamba said the programme is meant to capacitate youths with digital skills so that they become relevant in the fast-paced digital era.
“The Zimbabwe Digital Skills Training Programme was successfully launched by President Mnangagwa. The programme is targeting to train a total of 3,5 million youths. The youths will be trained in various digital skill capabilities that include programming and data science. The issue is all about finding the best ways to empower the young people of our great country.
“We want them to realise some financial benefits from the internet world where at the end, our youths would be digital content creators and even digital marketers among many other employment opportunities that are being realised from the internet world,” he said.
Mr Madzamba said they are mooting the establishment of the Youth Empowerment Strategy.
“The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training is currently gathering views and concerns from youths, youth associations and various stakeholders to incorporate in its Youth Empowerment Strategy.
“The ministry capitalised on the Youth Day celebrations and got the opportunity to interact with the gathered youths who managed to add their concerns into the Youth Empowerment Strategy. The celebrations were indeed of great significance as youths from across the country managed to deliberate and share various entrepreneurial initiatives happening in their respective provinces,” said Mr Madzamba.
“The youths got the opportunity to know various programs and projects lined up for them by the Ministry and how they can be part of the developmental discourse of our country.”
Officiating at the National Youth Day, President Mnangagwa commended Zimbabwean youth for their entrepreneurial spirit and called on Government ministries, departments, and agencies to develop programs that support youth-led enterprises.
“I commend our youth for their entrepreneurial culture across various sectors of the economy. Ministries, departments and agencies are directed to develop programmes which ensure that our youth enterprises graduate into large businesses,” he said.
He further urged the private sector, the Youth Empower Bank and other development partners to collaborate in promoting business linkages and supporting youth-driven initiatives. – @mthabisi_mthire
