Staff Reporter
Government has announced that Zimbabwe’s ongoing national skills audit will lead to a more strategic approach to closing skills gaps across industries, ensuring that the workforce is properly assessed and positioned to meet national needs.
The audit is intended to identify areas where the country is lacking critical skills, allowing for targeted educational and training programs that improve workforce efficiency and address Zimbabwe’s development goals.
During a recent strategic workshop held by the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development in Kwekwe, Minister Professor Paul Mavima revealed that significant strides have been made in evaluating the quality of skills across various sectors.
“This assessment is a crucial part of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), where human capital development is identified as a key pillar for Zimbabwe’s economic and social growth. The ministry, under the leadership of, has been engaging with stakeholders across 39 different economic sectors to gather insights and feedback on skill shortages and workforce capabilities.
“We have managed to reach out to every sector of the economy. Through extensive consultations, we now have a clear picture of where the critical gaps lie. These findings echo what we observed in our last assessment in 2018,” said Professor Mavima.
Government is now taking concrete steps to direct scholarship and training opportunities toward areas with significant skills shortages. By focusing on these high-demand sectors, the aim is to cultivate a highly skilled and competitive workforce.
The ministry has already completed an analysis of existing scholarship programs and is using this data to plan the next phase of the skills audit, which is scheduled to begin next year.
However, the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development has highlighted the need for increased resources to ensure the audit’s timely completion and effective implementation of subsequent initiatives.
This skills audit forms a cornerstone of the Government’s commitment under the Second Republic to foster sustainable domestic skills development.
By aligning educational opportunities with labor market demands, Zimbabwe is laying the groundwork for a resilient, adaptable workforce that will drive the nation’s progress toward Vision 2030.
