Launch of Work Integrated Learning skills upgrading initiative in Malawi

LILONGWE (ILO News) - After months of preparatory work, involving extensive stakeholder consultations, curriculum development and trainer capacity enhancement, the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) skills upgrading initiative has been launched in Malawi.

The launch event which took place on Friday 29th July 2016 at the Natural Resource College of Agriculture in Lilongwe was attended by the Minister of Labour, Youth and Manpower Development, Honourable Henry Mussa, the Director of the ILO (Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique) Mr. Alexio Musindo, and the Executive Director of the Employers Association of Malawi, Mr. Beyani Munthali, who collectively handed over five Greenhouses procured by the ILO for the WiL programme.

The WiL skills upgrading intervention, a strategy for enhancing skills levels and competitiveness of enterprises in the high value vegetable sub sector of the horticulture industry is a joint initiative of two ILO Projects, operational in Malawi i.e. Work4Youth and the Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED).

The WiL training will focus on application of greenhouse technology to enhance productivity and consistency of high value vegetable supply in Malawi. It is being implemented through a collaboration between the Employers Association of Malawi, (ECAM) which mobilized the private sector, the Ministry of Labour Youth and Manpower Development which mobilized the training Institutions. TEVETA is the coordinating partner of the whole interventions.

Two training Institutions and six companies are participating in the pilot phase, namely; Natural Resources College, DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational Centre, Roseberry Farm, Tithokoze Farm and Five a Day Fruit and Veggie Farm, Shoprite, Sunbird Hotels and People’s Trading Centre. Honourable Mr. Mussa, commended the ILO for initiating such an intervention which will see forty learners undergo experiential work based learning at the different companies.