VETA, Buckreef partner to equip students with mining technology skills
GEITA:THE Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) has partnered with Buckreef Gold Company Limited to equip VETA students specialising in mining-related technology fields with practical skills and workplace training opportunities to improve their prospects in the labour market.
The initiative follows a visit by VETA Northern Zone officials to Buckreef Gold Mine in Geita Region, aimed at establishing and strengthening cooperation between the training authority and the mining company.
VETA Northern Zone Manager Monica Mbelle said the partnership would also provide students from VETA Moshi with opportunities for field attachment at the mine.
She said the practical training would enable students to apply classroom knowledge in real production environments and strengthen their workplace skills.
“We want our students pursuing different courses at VETA Moshi to get opportunities for workplace training so they can strengthen their skills in the world of work,” Ms Mbelle said.
She said rapidly changing technology in the mining sector also presented an opportunity for VETA instructors to gain exposure to new technologies and upgrade their skills to ensure training remained relevant to labour market needs.
Ms Mbelle said the visit had also revealed a large number of young people living around the mine, prompting discussions on developing vocational training programmes targeting them.
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She said potential training areas included plumbing, electrical installation, welding, food preparation and catering, with the aim of enabling young people to secure employment or establish their own businesses.
“We met many young people around the mine and saw an opportunity for VETA to develop programmes that can equip them with different skills,” she said.
Buckreef Gold Company General Manager Isaac Disansaba said the company was ready to work with VETA to equip young people with skills relevant to mining operations.
He said the cooperation would cover areas including underground mining, mineral processing plant operations, open-pit mining and heavy-equipment maintenance.
Mr Disansaba said the skills would not only benefit young people seeking employment in mining but could also be applied in other sectors requiring technical, mechanical and technological expertise.
He said the company had started identifying young people from surrounding communities, including Form Four leavers, who could benefit from vocational training.
The company plans to support selected youth to join VETA, contribute towards their training costs and provide practical training opportunities at the mine.
Mr Disansaba named Kanyala, Busalala and Lwamgasa among communities surrounding Buckreef and urged young people in the areas to prepare to take advantage of the opportunities.
“Young people in communities surrounding Buckreef, including Kanyala, Busalala and Lwamgasa, should prepare to benefit from these opportunities ahead,” he said.
The partnership seeks to strengthen the link between vocational training and the practical skills demanded by the mining industry while expanding opportunities for young people to acquire marketable skills.
