FACES of 16 manufacturing students were yesterday beaming with infectious smiles as they received a government Valentines gift in form of educational sponsorship in manufacturing of goods.
The 16 are earmarked to undergo a tooling apprenticeship training in South Africa for the manufacturing of goods such as dies for metal
pressing, stamping, punching and forming, jigs and fixtures, assembly systems, robotics and
precision components.
To control the skills gap in the manufacturing industry government has allotted R4.4 million which will cater for expenses towards training the new age of experts that has been ushered into the industry.
The students selected from different TEVET institutions will be trained by Production Technologies of South Africa for four years.
During the send off of the manufacturing students in Lusaka yesterday Minister of Science and Trchnology Felix Mutation said the imparting of manufacturing skills in the 16 will reduce on the country’s strains of being import dependent and reverse the mortification status in the global world for failing to manufacture simple things such as plastic and toothpicks.
He said with the management of the skills gap in the manufacturing industry through training will boost the country’s Gross Domestic Products(GDP) in contributing to economic growth.
“Zambia can stand tall in Southern Africa, we will no longer be the conveyor belt of imports of finished products. We will now be the ones that create the mold to answer to the dynamism that we want to create in the manufacturing sector,”Mutati said.
“We are going to say no to being the conveyor belt of imports and the driver of that process is a new beginning which is you the 16(students) don’t let us down. Manufacturing is only contributing 8% towards GDP and vision 2030 tells us manufacturing should at least be able to deliver 30% contribution to GDP.”
The minister expressed concern that Zambians are treating lightly blue-collar jobs which are capable of improving the economy and continuing on the trajectory of less production will be detrimental to the economy as the citizenry has continued to be looker-ons instead of being players in the manufacturing industry.
“We have been spending millions of dollars on imports…..The revival of the mining sector through KCM and Mopani will also call for transformation. It is the mindset change that is required of us Zambians. We are taking our responsibilities lightly so when you say the economy is difficult it’s because we are conveyor belts creating wealth for others and not for ourselves,” Mutati said.
“And then we say we are poor. Poverty is an election, you elect to be poor you need to seize the opportunity for a new beginning. So we have an opportunity in TEVET for a new beginning.”
He urged the students to seize the opportunity and create an innovative dynamic and resilient manufacturing industry in Zambia.
“The people of Zambia have elected through TEVET that they are going to invest in you R4.4 million sacrificed into you to train you to acquire those rare skills and this is being delivered to you on Ash Wednesday. The people of Zambia are saying we shall look onto you for the new beginning. remember the sacrifice that the people of Zambia are putting into you,”said Mutati.
Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) director general Cleophas Takaiza noted that the inadequacy of tooling skills in Zambia has affected the competitiveness and productivity of the manufacturing sector in Zambia.
He said due to the rapid technological advancements and evolving industry trends, there has been a demand for skilled tooling professionals to enhance production efficiency and product quality.
“Our action to invest in these skills is commitment to use technical education and vocational training to address skills gaps and mismatches faced by different
sectors. We believe these skills will be part of the solutions to the decline recorded over the
years in the manufacturing sector’s contribution to job and wealth creation,” Takaiza said.
“The financing of these skills is from the proceeds of the Skill Development Levy.. The invested resources in the manufacturing sector skills is on the belief that the sector is high potential to create value-added employment by transforming raw materials and intermediate goods into finished products with higher economic value.”
Muntanga lindunda who is the Zambia Association of Manufacturers chief executive officer said the skilled labor in the industry declined post privatization but the training of students is a step towards changing what the sector will contribute towards GDP as the expertise will grow the value chain.
And Vincent Miyonda who expressed gratitude on behalf of the students said the 16 will go all out and acquire the techniques that will shape the game in mass production.
The tooling curriculum will be introduced in three training institutes managed by TEVETA Northern Technical College, Kabwe Institute of Technology and St Mawagali in Choma.
By Mwaka Ndawa
Kalemba February 15, 2024.
