Youths urged to utilise training centres

Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
THE Minister of Youth, Indigenisaton and Economic Empowerment, Cde Francis Nhema, has urged youths to fully utilise Vocational Training Centres (VTC) to acquire entrepreneurship skills. In a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry’s human resources director, Mr Muneri Simon Mukosi at a graduation ceremony at Phangani VTC in Insiza District on Friday, Cde Nhema said the skills training institutions provided a platform for youths to improve their livelihoods and that of their communities.

He said the Government was committed to driving the economy through focusing on the informal sector and small enterprises development with emphasis on technical and vocational skills training.

“The Government wants vocational training institutions to churn out new entrepreneurs that will assist to develop communities.
The vocational skills training should be relevant to the demands of communities,” he said.

The Ministry’s Education and Vocational Skills Training, Cde Nhema said, was providing the Training For Enterprise (TFE) programme which is aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment through the provision of technical and entrepreneurship skills for self employment.

He said graduates from these institutions should therefore create their own employment as opposed to seeking employment.
“There is a gap for 80 percent youths who do not have five O’level passes but require entrepreneurial aptitude, interest and potential to exploit economic opportunities. The TFE programme will assist graduates to effectively roll into enterprise development for national economic emancipation,” said Cde Nhema.

Phangani VTC offers two-year training courses that include building, carpentry, welding, hotel and catering as well as business management among other courses.

Cde Nhema said he hoped the graduates would be able to link up with other development partners so as to improve the economy.
He said his ministry had finalised a Youth Empowerment Facility (YEF), a special arrangement with CBZ, IDBZ, Metropolitan and CABS, which is a micro-credit window that enables youths to access funds from the institutions.

Cde Nhema discouraged youths from the Matabeleland region from crossing into neighbouring countries in search of jobs, saying the country needed their skills for development.

Speaking at the same occasion the provincial principal for VTCs in Matabeleland South province, Mr Augustine Kennedy Masilela bemoaned the low enrolment at the VCT.