The government says it remains committed to supporting and ensuring that the internship and apprenticeships programmes are up scaled to enhance skills development in the country.
Minister of Youth, Sports and Child Development, Emmanuel Mulenga said internship and apprenticeships is targeted at empowering people especially youths to improve their skills in different fields.
Mr Mulenga was speaking during the launch of a three days training of trainers workshop on planning and implementation of quality apprenticeships, upgrade of informal apprenticeships and internship programmes funded by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Chongwe today.
He said government plans to roll out the project at national level hence the introduction of the national internship and apprenticeship programme which targets to reach out to nine thousand youths at an estimated cost of K117milion.
“The internship is aimed at providing tertiary institution graduates with the much -needed work experience to enhance their capability while the apprenticeship part is meant to facilitate practical vocational skills acquisition for sustainable livelihoods and development.
“The youth lead project and the national internship and apprenticeship programme are guided by two policy documents, the 2019 work based learning framework and the National internship guidelines under the Ministry of Higher Education,” he said.
And ILO Director, Brian Chipili said it is encouraging that government recognises apprenticeships and internship as one of the strategies of enhancing skills development in the country.
“ Innovative Public-Private Partnerships help young people make transition of good jobs ,apprenticeship and internships provide practical training as well as equip young people with critical core skills and better understanding of the world of work that improves their chances for success in the labour market,” Mr Chipli said.
In August this year, President Edgar Lungu launched the Youth and Empowerment Fund amounting to K470 targeting 150,000 youths as beneficiaries.
And 9,000 out of the 150,000 youths have been earmarked as beneficiaries of the national internship and apprenticeship programme.
This is a long overdue venture. No country develops without skilled man power to propel and maintain the national development agenda.
Currently the nation is in serious need of artisans in all areas construction, farming ,manufacturing etc. It also needs high calibre medical Doctors and Reseach doctorates among others.
Is it internship and apprenticeships to squeeze green shiit out of the worms and insects before eating them? Disgusting !
“Internship and apprenticeship” is non existent in Zambia. PF ministers use terms that just appeal to mention, may be to be see as educated with Mill degrees they all want to acquire.
These morons of Lazy Lungu need to be taught how to wear a face mask!!