Skills development critical for inclusive economy
Government says skills development is crucial to the achievement of faster, sustainable and inclusive economic growth and making the country’s youth employable.
Minister of Labour, Youth and Manpower Development Henry Mussa said this in Lilongwe on Friday when he officially opened the Golden Peacock Hotel third trainee cohort and first quarter employee award ceremony.
Mussa acknowledged that knowledge and skills are increasingly becoming the primary determinants of the economic growth and development of any society; hence, the need for employers to build the capacity of their labour force.
It has been a tradition for Sogecoa Golden Peacock Hotel to send staff of the five-star hotel on a fully-funded hospitality training for six to 12 months at its headquarters in China.
Said the minister: “Just like any other country, skills development in Malawi is critical for achieving faster, sustainable and inclusive growth on the one hand and for providing decent employment opportunities to the growing young population on the other. Skills building also remains a potent tool to empower individuals and improve their social acceptance or value.”
He said the competiveness of a country in the global market place these days depends on the strength of its economy, its contribution to existing and emerging branches of science and technology, and its ability to respond to the imperatives of a globalising world.
Mussa said knowledge and skills would increasingly become the primary determinants of economic growth and development and countries with higher and better levels of skills will adjust more effectively to the challenges and opportunities of growth in a globalised world.
Addressing the trainees and employees, Chinese Ambassador Wang Shiting said the training will further cement the bond between his country and Malawi.
Wang also commended Sogecoa Company Limited for the contributions it is making towards the growth of tourism sector in Malawi and other development projects such as the new Parliament Building, Malawi University of Science and Technology (Must), Bingu National Stadium and other social developments.
The Chinese ambassador encouraged more Chinese enterprises to invest and engage in the development of Malawi.
Sogecoa Company Limited general manager Jenny Jiang thanked both trainees and members of staff for their hard work during their time at the hotel.
Jiang said her company is committed to abiding by the local labour laws and regulations in the Malawi Employment Act.
