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Create jobs for economic growth, youth urged

TANZANIAN youths have been encouraged to leverage their education and skills not only to seek employment but also to create jobs and drive innovations for economic growth.
Patrobas Katambi

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIAN youths have been encouraged to leverage their education and skills not only to seek employment but also to create jobs and drive innovations for economic growth.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment & Persons with Disabilities), Mr Patrobas Katambi, made this statement while officiating the 2024 Youth in Engineering Forum organised by the Engineering Registration Board (ERB) in Dar es Salaam.

The forum, themed “Entrepreneurship and Engineering Accelerating Youth Excellence,” featured the certification of approximately 50 engineers and the presentation of awards to top graduates from various universities.

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“We must combine our skills, knowledge and experience with our competencies and seize the opportunities available, including those provided by the government, to build a stronger economy,” said Mr Katambi.

He highlighted the government’s commitment to creating employment opportunities, revealing plans to generate approximately 1 to 1.5 million jobs annually, aiming for about eight million new jobs over the next five years.

Mr Katambi stressed that the government’s role is to create an enabling environment for both employment and self-employment. He noted that the National Youth Development Policy, launched this year, focuses on skills development, innovation and talent to combat youth unemployment.

He also mentioned the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP), which enhances youth skills through vocational training and practical experience, benefiting 104,160 individuals so far, with over 3,000 participants in reskilling initiatives.

The government is also committed to protecting local content by ensuring that tenders suited for Tanzanians are awarded to local experts.

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Mr Katambi emphasised that the government is discouraging the importation of construction materials to protect local jobs, safeguarding 162,968 employment opportunities.

He urged innovation hubs like the Commission of Science and Technology (COSTECH) and the Small Industries Development Organisation (SIDO) to support young engineers in bringing their innovations to market.

Additionally, the Youth Development Fund has provided 1.2 billion/- in financial support, including grants and low-interest loans, to 57 projects.

ERB Chairman, Eng Menye Manga, expressed gratitude to the government for allocating approximately 840 billion/- for local content and encouraged youth to take advantage of these opportunities.

He also praised both the private and public sectors for offering internship and job opportunities to young engineers. Eng Manga highlighted that the ERB’s Youth Engineering Programme aims to support 400 youths initially, with plans to expand further.

Young engineer, Mwesiga Rwegelela noted that the Youth Engineering Forum represents a bright future for young engineers and urged his peers to use the opportunity to create prospects for themselves and others.