Zimbabwe is preparing to host African skills development experts, policymakers and industry leaders for Africa Skills Week 2026, with a renewed focus on equipping young people with practical skills that can drive employment, entrepreneurship and industrial growth.
The continental event, scheduled for October 12 to 16 at the Harare International Conference Centre, will bring together representatives from African Union member states, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions, businesses, development partners and young innovators.
Running under the theme Skills for Resilient and Competitive African Industries: From Training to Value Creation, the gathering seeks to strengthen the connection between education, practical training and the skills required by industry.
Ahead of the event, officials from the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development have called on the media to help change public attitudes towards technical and vocational education, which is often viewed as less prestigious than university education.
Permanent Secretary for Skills Audit and Development Ambassador Dr Rudo Chitiga said technical skills were essential to creating employment, supporting local manufacturing and enabling the country to add value to its natural resources.
“Zimbabwe as a society needs to start changing its mindset,” Chitiga said, stressing the importance of practical skills in creating opportunities for young people.
“It is the technical skills that can create self-employment. It is the technical skills that can create value addition. It is the technical skills that can lead to industrialisation.”
Her remarks highlight a central challenge facing Zimbabwe and the wider continent: ensuring that education and training translate into productive work and economic opportunities rather than leaving graduates without the competencies employers need.
According to the Ministry, technical and vocational training must become more responsive to changes in technology, industrial requirements and the evolving demands of the labour market.
Deputy Director of Diaspora Skills Stanley Kadzima said Africa’s industrial ambitions depended on developing a workforce capable of producing goods locally instead of relying heavily on imported finished products.
“We want Africa to industrialise, but that industrialisation being driven by Africa,” Kadzima said.
He argued that the continent needed to strengthen practical learning and modernise training programmes to support manufacturing, innovation and economic transformation.
“Our kids must grow up knowing how to do rather than just knowing,” he said, emphasising the importance of hands-on learning from an early age.
Kadzima also highlighted the need to update training curricula, equip instructors with modern techniques and improve access to technical education, particularly for young people in rural communities and women who remain underrepresented in some technical fields.
The discussions are expected to draw attention to the gap between the skills taught by training institutions and those required by employers, with stronger industry participation seen as an important part of the solution.
Ministry director Victor Cheure said hosting the event presented an opportunity for Zimbabwe to strengthen its training systems, establish partnerships and connect young people with potential employers.
“Zimbabwe has got talent, plenty of talent,” Cheure said.
He said the gathering could help create opportunities for young people seeking apprenticeships, internships and pathways into entrepreneurship, while exposing local institutions to skills development initiatives from across Africa.
A dedicated Youth Summit is expected to give young people, including persons with disabilities, an opportunity to showcase their ideas and engage with prospective employers and partners.
The event will also provide a platform to discuss the financing of technical and vocational education, curriculum reform, modern training equipment and the development of qualifications that can be recognised across African countries.
These issues are increasingly important as African economies seek to expand manufacturing, develop digital services and participate more actively in regional trade.
For Zimbabwe, the focus on practical training also connects with the country’s Education 5.0 model, which emphasises teaching, research, community engagement, innovation and industrialisation.
The broader ambition is to ensure that training institutions do not only produce graduates with academic knowledge but also develop people capable of creating products, solving problems and establishing sustainable businesses.
Africa Skills Week was established as an annual continental platform in 2024, with Ghana hosting the inaugural edition before Ethiopia hosted the second gathering in 2025. Zimbabwe will host the third edition, becoming the first country in Southern Africa to stage the event.
As preparations continue, the emphasis is increasingly shifting towards tangible outcomes, including stronger partnerships between training institutions and industry, improved access to technical education and more opportunities for young people to turn their skills into livelihoods.
For Zimbabwe and the wider continent, the challenge will be ensuring that the discussions and commitments made during the five-day gathering translate into practical training programmes, jobs and businesses that can sustain long-term economic growth.
