Online Reporter
Fungai Lupande
Mashonaland Central Bureau
GRADUATES from Young Generation Training Institute in Bindura have been challenged to use their vocational skills to create jobs and build sustainable businesses instead of joining the growing pool of job seekers.
Speaking at the institute’s 29th graduation ceremony, the institute’s principal, Mrs Memory Siyapiya, said graduates in tailoring, clothing design, information technology and other practical fields had acquired skills capable of transforming their lives and those of their families.
She said the institute is producing graduates who could immediately put their skills to work rather than wait for formal employment.
“Graduates from this institute, right after finishing, will be sitting at a machine sewing,” she said.
“Some will even end up running companies. That is what our President is encouraging, he says hands-on skills are what we call psychomotor skills. They combine knowledge with practical expertise.”
Mrs Siyapiya said the quality of garments produced by students showed that locally trained young people had the potential to compete with products sold by major retail outlets.
She said some of the clothing produced by previous graduates was good enough to be sold in major shops such as Edgars and Jet.
“This institute promotes practical, hands-on skills. The items being sewn by these young people can actually be sold in Jet, Edgars and other big stores,” she said.
The guest of honour, the provincial Director of Coordination in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Mr Kudzayi Chimusoro, said the graduation was proof that discipline, opportunity and hard work could transform young people’s lives.
He said graduates were leaving the institute with vocational, entrepreneurial and life skills that should enable them to create employment and contribute to national development.
“You are no longer job seekers, but you are job creators,” Mr Chimusoro said.
He said Young Generation Training Institute had become a hub for transforming young people in Mashonaland Central through professional training, entrepreneurship, life skills and psychological support.
The institute, he said, was contributing to the National Development Strategy 2 by equipping young people with skills needed to participate meaningfully in the economy.
Mr Chimusoro urged graduates to embrace artificial intelligence while retaining their critical and analytical thinking skills.
“Embrace artificial intelligence, but avoid over-reliance on it when it comes to decision-making,” he said.
He also challenged graduates to use their acquired skills to solve problems, create employment and become ambassadors of positive change.
He urged the graduates to maintain integrity and good character as they entered the world of work.
Mr Chimusoro warned young people against drug and substance abuse, saying addiction could destroy the skills and opportunities they had worked hard to acquire.
“Desist from drugs. They promise steps, but they deliver chains,” he said.
Dr Magaya, AFC Commercial Bank Bindura manager, urged young people to take advantage of available funding opportunities, including the Empowerment Bank, to establish businesses.
She, however, warned graduates that loans were not free money and should be invested in productive ventures.
“The goal is for you to invest in your business. You invest, work, pay back the money, enjoy your profit and go the extra mile,” she said.
She said entrepreneurship required discipline, organisation and business management skills, adding that graduates should put into practice the business knowledge acquired during their training.
The graduation marked the 29th cohort of the Young Generation Training Institute, with graduates drawn from various vocational and skills-training programmes.
