Minister of Technology and Science, Felix Mutati has said skills were a powerful tool in unlocking the continent’s rich potential bestowed in its youthful population. The Minister said the youngest population of the world found in Africa holds immense potential to drive innovation, industrialisation, and sustainable development.

Speaking during a dinner hosted for trainers under the Worldskills Africa Capacity Building Programme, Mr. Mutati said unlocking the youth's potential required investment in relevant skills, technology and innovation that aligned with the demands of the fourth industrial revolution, continental competitiveness and increased employability.

 "The Worldskills Africa Capacity Building Programme is vital harnessing excellence in Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) we are empowering a generation to become job creators, innovators, and leaders in their fields. Zambia is proud to host this programme, as it aligns with our national agenda under the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP) and African Union Agenda 1963, which prioritize science, technology, and skills development as key drivers of economic growth.

He said Zambia and the continent's vision was to build a workforce that was adaptive, competitive, and globally relevant. "The capacity building programme supports our efforts to raise the standards of TEVET, promote skills excellence, and ensure that the African workforce is ready for the demands of the 21st century economy. it also supports regional cooperation and the exchange of best practices among African nations."

"The partnerships with Worldskills International and African nations through the Worldskills Africa is aimed at improve TEVET standards across the continent, bridge the skills gap in critical sectors such as renewable energy, ICT, manufacturing, and agriculture as well as promote entrepreneurship and innovation by equipping youth with practical, market-ready skills."

And TEVETA Board Chairperson, Ngoza Nkwabilo said TEVETA’s vision on skills development aligned with the high premium the African Union Agenda 2063 placed on TEVET to drive economic growth, innovation, and youth empowerment.

Mrs. Nkwabilo said the Worldskills Africa Capacity Building Programme aligned well with African Union vision. "The programme brings together minds, hearts, and hands to share best practices, build institutional capacity, and prepare young Africans for success in a rapidly evolving world. the capacity building programme further aligns with our 8ndp and vision 2030 and other sectoral aspirations in mining, agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, energy and others."

"As TEVETA, we are proud to be a central player in Zambia’s efforts to build a responsive, relevant, and resilient TEVET system. we are investing in quality assurance, curriculum modernization, trainer up-skilling and industry partnerships to provide a reliable foundation for the young people to have relevant skills for increased employability." 

Meanwhile, GiZ Head of Cluster, Sabine Klause said the Capacity Building Programme through Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA) had contributed meaningfully to the African Union’s Year of Education theme through initiatives under different project.

Ms. Klause said financing skills projects was transformative in the skills development agenda such as the African Union WorldSkills Agenda.

“These initiatives, aimed at strengthening occupational prospects for young people, are already achieving significant milestones in addressing critical skills gaps and enhancing opportunities for youth employment and entrepreneurship.”

The Capacity Building Programme involve experts from Rwanda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Namibia. The programme is in Plumbing and Pipefitting and Hairdressing. Assessment toolkits are being developed for competency-based assessments in the TEVET sector.