By Inside Biz
Business Eswatini (BE), the main voice of the private sector in the country, has hailed the recent launch of the National Labour Market Skills Project (NLMSP) as a transformative step towards ushering in a new era of quality education and skills alignment with industry needs.
BE CEO E. Nathi Dlamini expressed immense value in the project and emphasised their commitment to strengthening partnerships between employers, education providers, and other key stakeholders.
The project, built on the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Skills Development Master Plan, was launched on 24 August 2024 by the Eswatini Higher Education Council (ESHEC), in partnership with the Taiwan Technical Mission (ICDF) and the Eswatini Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ESEPARC).
Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi gave the keynote address.
The project, themed “Shaping Tomorrow’s Skills Today,” aims to collect data, starting on September 2, 2024, for approximately six months by engaging with various stakeholders and industries nationwide.
Highlighting the essential role of the private sector and multisectoral partners, Dlamini emphasised the pivotal role they play in advancing the goals of the NLMSP, providing valuable insights into industry requirements, and offering internship and apprenticeship opportunities to equip emaSwati, especially the youth, with practical skills.
“We cannot overemphasise the importance of investing in upskilling and reskilling programmes to enhance the workforce’s competencies and contribute to creating a talent pool that is agile and future-ready, thus driving Eswatini’s economic transformation,” Dlamini said.
Meanwhile, Zithulele Gina, the Director of Human Capital at the Central Bank of Eswatini, emphasised the importance of comprehensive and reliable data in identifying skills imbalances and expressed the bank’s commitment to collaborating on the NLMSP to analyse skills demand and supply continuously.
In the keynote address, Minister Buthelezi highlighted the project’s significance, marking a pivotal step in the country’s journey towards developing the necessary human capital after the National Skills Audit in 2021 conducted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Nanakie Mnisi, the Acting Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) described the NLMSP as pivotal for understanding skills supply and demand across Eswatini.
“His Majesty’s Government fully supports the NLMSP, as an important initiative to align the skills of graduates and post-school individuals with the evolving demands of industries,” she said.
The project is designed to provide critical insights to guide how ESHEC registers institutions and accredits programmes, ensuring that educational offerings meet the skills demanded by the job market.
ESHEC CEO, Dr Lorreta Mkhonta described the initiative as a testament to the collective aspiration for national development and emphasized the strategic collaboration with the Taiwan Technical Mission to improve the quality of education in the country.
“The NLMSP is not just an analytical exercise but a call to action for collective efforts to align the skills of the people with the economic and social imperatives of the 21st century,” she said.
Expressing optimism about the project’s impact, the Chief of Taiwan Technical Mission Mr. Chang-Ching Yeh noted that it would broaden the scope of research and provide detailed data to develop effective strategies to address challenges in the technical workforce market.
The NLMSP, according to DIVT Director Mr. Simelane, will help pinpoint the gaps in Eswatini’s skills profile and identify missing but necessary programs to better serve industries.
ESEPARC CEO Dr. Thabo Sacolo also emphasized the project’s significance in aligning education with industry demands and cultivating a skilled and adaptable workforce prepared to excel globally.