African leaders, policymakers and development partners have called for closer links between education, vocational training and industry as Zimbabwe hosts the third edition of Africa Skills Week, placing employment creation, industrialisation and local value addition at the centre of continental discussions.
The five-day event, running from 12 to 16 October at the Harare International Conference Centre, brings together representatives of African governments, training institutions, businesses, young people and development organisations under the theme, “Skills for Resilient and Competitive African Industries: From Training to Value Creation”.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa officially opened the gathering on Monday, urging African countries to use their natural resources, human capital and technological capabilities to build industries that retain more economic value within the continent.
The event follows preparations coordinated by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Skills Audit and Development and the African Union Commission. Skills Audit and Development Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere had announced before the opening that more than 644 international delegates, over 1,000 local participants and more than 60 exhibitors were expected in Harare.
Zimbabwe’s selection as host provides an opportunity to showcase its skills development policies and industrial ambitions while contributing to a broader African conversation about how education systems can respond to the continent’s changing economic requirements.
Muswere has played a central role in coordinating the preparations, positioning the event as a platform for collaboration between governments, educational institutions and industry. The successful convening of the continental gathering represents an important organisational undertaking for his ministry, with the emphasis now shifting towards translating the discussions into practical partnerships, training opportunities and measurable economic outcomes.
Mnangagwa argued that Africa’s mineral wealth should underpin domestic industrial capacity rather than remain primarily a source of unprocessed exports.
“Our continent’s vast reserves of minerals, including lithium, platinum, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements should never be extracted and exported as primary raw commodities. This counter-productive legacy should end,” he said.
He called for greater investment in technical and vocational education and training, digital literacy, artificial intelligence and specialised technical capabilities. He also linked skills development to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Action Plan for the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa, highlighting mineral beneficiation, manufacturing and regional cooperation as priorities.
The challenge, however, extends beyond expanding training provision. African countries must also create sufficient productive employment, strengthen local supply chains and ensure that businesses have the capital, infrastructure and market access required to absorb skilled workers.
Professor Gaspard Banyankimbona, the African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, highlighted the scale of the employment challenge facing the continent. He said more than 12 million young Africans entered the labour market annually, while the formal economy generated opportunities for only about three million.
Banyankimbona called for technical and vocational education systems to respond more directly to the needs of priority industries, including agro-processing, automotive manufacturing and pharmaceuticals. He also urged member states to translate continental strategies into national policies supported by sustainable financing and partnerships between governments, training institutions and employers.
His remarks point to a structural issue affecting many African economies: training alone cannot resolve unemployment where the expansion of productive enterprises and formal employment fails to keep pace with the number of people seeking work.
Dr Rosemary Kalapuraka, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, similarly argued that the effectiveness of skills development should be assessed through its contribution to productivity, innovation, business competitiveness and decent employment rather than the number of people completing courses.
She commended Zimbabwe for establishing a dedicated Ministry of Skills Audit and Development, describing the institutional focus as recognition of the strategic relationship between skills, industrialisation and economic competitiveness.
Kalapuraka identified mining, agriculture, agro-processing, manufacturing, digital transformation and the green economy as areas where Zimbabwe would require specialised technical and entrepreneurial capabilities. She said the United Nations would continue supporting efforts to connect education and training with industry requirements.
For Zimbabwe, these priorities intersect with ambitions to expand domestic mineral processing, strengthen manufacturing and develop new sources of economic activity. Yet achieving these objectives will require sustained investment in training facilities, equipment, instructors and apprenticeships, alongside a business environment capable of supporting enterprises that employ and develop skilled workers.
The Southern African Times CEO, Farai Ian Muvuti, is attending Africa Skills Week as a delegate. His participation reflects the publication’s engagement with discussions concerning African industrial development, investment and the relationship between skills and economic opportunity.
Muvuti said: “Africa’s skills agenda must be considered alongside its industrial and investment strategies. The objective is not simply to train more people, but to create an environment in which African talent can build competitive businesses, strengthen local industries and participate meaningfully in regional value chains. The real measure of success will be the opportunities that emerge for young people and the value that African economies are able to retain.”
The conference programme includes a youth summit, technical discussions and visits to institutions such as the Harare Institute of Technology, Belvedere Technical Teachers College, the University of Zimbabwe, Zengeza 2 High School, Msasa Industrial Training Centre and the Geo-Pomona Waste Management Centre.
These activities are intended to connect policy discussions with practical examples of education, technical training, innovation and industrial development. They also offer an opportunity for participants to examine how different institutions can work together to improve the transition from learning to employment.
Africa Skills Week is aligned with the African Union’s wider education and skills development agenda, including the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 2026–2035 and the Continental Technical and Vocational Education and Training Strategy for Africa 2025–2034.
Its central question is whether African economies can translate growing investments in education and training into productive capacity, better employment prospects and more resilient industries. That outcome will depend not only on the quality of training but also on the ability of governments, businesses and regional institutions to turn skills into sustained economic activity.
As discussions continue in Harare until 16 October, the emphasis will be on moving from continental policy commitments towards practical cooperation. The lasting value of the gathering will ultimately be determined by whether its recommendations lead to stronger industry partnerships, more effective training systems and measurable improvements in employment and enterprise development across Africa.
