Online Reporter
Mkhululi Ncube, Zimpapers Reporter
The Seventh-day Adventist Church Entumbane District is hosting its second Education and Career Expo meant to bring training institutions and institutions of higher learning closer to the community.
The Expo is targeting to equip learners and community members with career opportunities.
Participating institutions are Solusi University, Gwanda State University, Bulawayo Polytechnic College, City of Bulawayo Vocational Skills and Training Home Craft, Esigodini Agricultural College, National Railways of Zimbabwe Technical College, Mpilo School of Nursing, Pump and Steel Supplies Technical Institute, and the Zimbabwe National Army. The Army members raised awareness on dangers of war remnants.
The Entumbane District SDA pastor, Dr Yamukelani Ngwenya, said they hold the expo as part of the initiative to bridge the gap between training institutions and the community.
“As the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we are a community church. The church and higher education institutions play a crucial role in community and national building. As such, the thrust of the expo is to bring together youths, students, professionals, and institutions and the community with skills for a prosperous Zimbabwe,” said Dr Ngwenya.
A lecturer from Esigodini Agricultural College’s Farm and Agriculture Business, Ms Nkosinomusa Thebe, hailed the SDA Church for conducting the expo on behalf of the community.
She hailed the turnout from the community.
“Such expos help us to plough back to the community because it makes us visible. When we come to such expos, we market all our agriculture training colleges around the country and the Online College,” she said.
Well-known entrepreneur Mr Nkosana George Mazibisa said providing educational information is key in helping youths make decisions about their future.
“Inclusive economies involve community-driven initiatives such as this expo where people from the base of the pyramid are also exposed to information sharing for consideration in terms of career pathways. We are now under NDS2 and relevant skills must be given to young people for human capital development in order to achieve Vision 2030. Townships are big economies; if we ignore them we are creating a vacuum and we end up losing some demographics by going outside the country because they think Zimbabwe is not relevant. By such events youths get critical information which gives them possibilities,” he said.
Entumbane community leader Mr Nkosikhona Mlilo hailed the SDA Church for setting up the programme.
He urged the community to utilise such programmes.
“We have many of our youths who did not do well at school but they can utilise training institutions which do not require education qualifications. So this expo has brought the critical information to our doorsteps,” he said.
Mr Zenzo Mpofu, a community member, said the expo is crucial in assisting learners choose their career paths.
He said many youths make mistakes in choosing careers and end up jobless.
All the participating institutions addressed the community members on the various courses they offer and the qualifications needed to enrol in them.
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