Tanzania and ILO conducted a countrywide workshop on formal apprenticeship frameworks

DAR ES SALAAM (ILO News) - The ILO, in collaboration with the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) - Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and People living with Disability - and the Association of Tanzania employers (ATE) conducted in Dar es Salaam a countrywide workshop to validate a national apprenticeship framework.

The workshop, officiated by Hon. Jenister Mhagama, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour, Employment, Youth and People living with Disability) aimed at reviewing and endorsing a draft framework meant to facilitate institutionalization and systematic implementation of apprenticeship programmes in the country.

The framework is a guide to all stakeholders in promoting quality apprenticeship programmes and expand them to more players and beneficiaries. It was developed taking into consideration the growing demand for college graduates to possess better practical skills and work experience, and the limited capacities of colleges to provide all required practical and work based experiences for college students.

The framework will provide guidance on how to implement formal apprenticeship programmes, coordination, rights and obligations of employers and apprentices including recruitment, training, and working conditions, funding mechanism and quality assurance mechanisms.

It furthers the provision of hands-on training, reflecting the skills needs of employers, collaboration between companies and training institutions and enhances opportunities for training for the marginalized to join the labour market.

Promotion of formal apprenticeships is among the priority outputs of the ILO’s Decent work Country programme (DWCP) 2016 in Tanzania, which is aimed at ensuring that apprenticeship training programmes are developed and institutionalized as an alternative training approaches with better employability outcomes.

Background information

The ILO promotes development and implementation of work based training programmes to member countries through adoption of international labour standards on human resources development and lifelong learning. Recommendation 195 on human resources development call on member countries to provide quality and equitable trainings and lifelong learning opportunities for all. It encourages employer organizations to provide work experience opportunities through active participation in apprenticeships and internships programmes.

The Government of United Republic of Tanzania adopted a fast track initiative, through its Big Results Now –BRN campaign, to accelerate economic growth and spearhead attainment of targets set forth in the Vision 2025 with the aim of attaining middle-income country status by 2025. However, skills shortage in six priority sectors identified as drivers of change i.e. Agribusiness; transport and logistics, ICT, tourism, energy and construction, has been identified as key challenge towards the realization of the Vision 2025 targets. Establishment of the above framework will be one of the viable solutions for today and future workforce development.