The alliance of Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) colleges in China are building skills development and industrial growth initiatives in Zambia through strengthened TEVET systems for increased workforce employability and competitiveness.

The consortium of colleges, which is under the Industrial and Vocational Colleges’ Alliance (IVCA) of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation framework, today discussed areas of cooperation with TEVETA in line with the Zambia’s priority economic sectors. 

IVCA Vice President, Prof. Gui Cheng said the alliance has more than 140 colleges and companies that support skills development, industrial growth, and youth employment through TEVET. Prof. Cheng added that “40 companies with an investment footprint in Zambia were interested in joining the alliance to strengthen TEVET and industrial skills transfer.”

He said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) under the Belt and Road Institute of Science and Technology would be one of the key institutes in developing TEVET curriculum to influence infrastructure related skills development.

And TEVETA Director General, Cleophas Takaiza said quality and relevant skills attracted investment through improved business performance and operational efficiency. Mr. Takaiza stated that collaborations were among TEVETA’s strategic aspirations in line with Competency-Based Training (CBT) adoption in TEVET, which required strong linkages between training and industry.

“Reforms in TEVET that include CBT adoption to increase workforce employability call for stronger collaborations. We need partners in CBT curriculum development, capacity building in CBT quality assurance and assessments, learning and training materials development and provision of Work-Based Learning (WBL) opportunities for students. We are pleased to collaborate with IVCA in skills development.”

He said TEVETA was seeking to tap into Luban Workshops platform, which was inspired by the ancient Chinese Craftman Lu Ban to strengthen hands-on learning, innovation and smart education and training.

Mr. Takaiza shared TEVETA’s aspirations to collaborate with IVCA in solar energy, agriculture, manufacturing, mining and other enabling sectors to Zambia’s national development plans. “Within energy, we want collaborative platforms on solar energy installation, maintenance, repair and e-waste as part of greening TEVET. We also need partners to meet national agricultural sector goals such as increasing the cattle population to more than 6 million by investing in animal technology programmes. Twinning colleges under IVCA and those in Zambia would improve how we run TEVET.” 

IVCA has shared a collaborative blueprint for TEVETA to align to economic sector priorities as part of the long term partnership with the alliance in skills development for increased economic and trade cooperation between Zambia and China.