UPND PLEDGES MILLIONS OF JOBS THROUGH SKILLS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DRIVE
The UPND New Dawn Government has outlined an ambitious plan to create millions of jobs by investing in skills development, entrepreneurship and private sector growth, saying employment creation will be the defining priority of Zambia’s next phase of development.
In a statement, Ministry of Information and Media Permanent Secretary Thabo Kawana said the country had achieved economic stability and restored investor confidence, creating a foundation for business expansion and employment opportunities.
Kawana said government would now focus on ensuring that economic opportunities reached every family, community and province through increased investment in enterprise and skills development.
“The next phase of Zambia’s development will be defined by one overriding priority: jobs, skills and enterprise opportunities for our people,” he said.
He said government, working alongside the private sector, intended to create millions of new jobs by supporting investments across all sectors of the economy.
“In partnership with the Zambian private sector, the UPND New Dawn Government will work to create millions of new jobs in the years to come,” Kawana said.
He said young people would be at the centre of the government’s economic transformation agenda, with technology and innovation expected to generate income opportunities at an unprecedented pace.
“In the years ahead, we will harness technology and innovation to create income opportunities at a pace faster than at any other point in our country’s history,” he said.
Kawana added that more than 100,000 students in universities, TEVET institutions and professional colleges would benefit from industry-linked training programmes designed to equip them with practical skills.
He said every beneficiary would be connected to a work placement, internship or enterprise opportunity to improve employability.
“Every beneficiary will be linked to a work placement, internship or enterprise opportunity,” he said.
Kawana further said government would establish a Youth Enterprise Growth Fund and expand access to credit guarantees, blended finance and business development services for micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly those owned by young people.
He added that youth and women-owned businesses would receive preferential access to public procurement while licensing processes would be simplified to encourage formalisation and business growth.
“Youth and women-owned businesses will be accorded preferential access to public procurement,” he said.
Kawana said government would also strengthen internship and apprenticeship frameworks, upgrade the professional status of teachers and ensure progress was transparently monitored.
“Jobs must be available and rewarding, businesses must grow, and every Zambian must have a fair chance to live well and build a better future through effort, skill and enterprise,” he said.
UPND PLEDGES MILLIONS OF JOBS THROUGH SKILLS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP DRIVE
