Zambia Mining Sector Review Report: Advancing Skills for Productivity, Sustainability and Economic Diversification

Initiated by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with funding from the European Union, the Zambia Mining Sector Review Report is a vital component within the broader framework of the Skills Development for Increased Employability Programme (SDEP).

This aligns with overarching ILO objectives to bolster employability, especially across genders, and contribute to the country’s economic diversification.

Guided by the ILO, the four-year SDEP is a collaborative effort involving governmental bodies, employers, workers organizations, and local partners.

The project's strategic objectives focus on enhancing the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) system, fostering private sector engagement in skills development, and supporting demand-led curricula development with an emphasis on the green economy.

In adopting the Skills for Productivity, Environment, and Economic Diversification (SPEED) methodology, derived from the ILO's Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) approach, the SDEP takes a sectoral approach for environmental sustainability and climate action.

The application of the SPEED diagnostic in the Zambian mining sector involves collaboration between the ILO, the consultants, and local partners and builds on the ‘Women and the Mine of the Future’ project, a previous collaboration between the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainability (IGF) the ILO and other partners.

The Rapid SPEED process encompasses a mapping sector study, followed by a comprehensive Sectoral Review Study, a two-day foresight workshop, and subsequent drafting of a sector skills strategy.

The Sectoral Review Study is a cornerstone of the SPEED methodology and covers themes such as a detailed profile and trends analysis of the mining sector using a gender lens and considering gender disparities, an evaluation of the skills supply-side, the current business environment, review of existing policy literature, and presents a tailored Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis for the mining sector.

An exploration of existing TEVET, university-level, and other training provisions is undertaken, encompassing initial and continuing education and training.

The report applies the ILO's SPEED methodology to Zambia's mining industry, with a gendered lens to addressing the sector's dynamic challenges and opportunities with a focus on strengthening the industry through skills development initiatives to enhance competitiveness amidst evolving industry demands and technological advancements.

This aligns with Zambia’s Eighth National Development Plan, the 2022-2026 National Minerals Development Policy and the 2022-2026 Mining Sector Strategic Plan, which emphasizes the country’s strategic objective of creating a broad pool of highly skilled labour across all skill
levels.

It aims to propel local employment through the anticipated growth and development of the mining sector, underscoring the importance of a skilled workforce.

The collaborative insights generated through this Sectoral Review will inform the drafting of a strategic, demand-driven approach to skills development in Zambia's mining sector, fostering sustainability, economic growth, and enhanced employability.

For the purposes of this study, the research focuses on companies that are employers in the mining of metal ores and other mining and quarrying, which involves the exploration, extraction, processing, and trading of minerals and metals.

It excludes the extraction of crude petroleum and natural gas and does not include specific information and data related to suppliers and ancillary industry services.

However, where indirect or induced industry information is available, it has been mentioned.