1 000 Youth Service graduates earmarked for employment

Source: The Herald – Breaking news.

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 Speaking at a post Cabinet briefing in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said the initiative, which targets youth empowerment through six months of training, is channelling graduates from the first two cohorts into public institutions, uniformed forces, state enterprises, and national development programmes.

Herald Reporter

Over 1 000 graduates from the first two cohorts of the Youth Service in Zimbabwe Programme will soon be employed at various public institutions and State Owned Enterprises across the country, a cabinet Minister has said.

President Mnangagwa launched the Youth Service in Zimbabwe Programme in Murehwa last year.

Speaking at a post Cabinet briefing in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said the initiative, which targets youth empowerment through six months of training, is channelling graduates from the first two cohorts into public institutions, uniformed forces, state enterprises, and national development programmes.

Other graduates from the same cohort are pursuing further skills training at vocational centres across the country.

“The Youth Service in Zimbabwe Programme that was launched by His Excellency President Dr Emerson Mnangagwa in May 2024, is already harnessing positive dividends on the youth demographic group,” Dr Muswere said.

“The first two cohorts of students numbering 1 077 who graduated from the six months’ training programme are already earmarked for employment at State-funded higher and tertiary education institutions, the Public Service, Uniformed forces, State-Owned Enterprises, including special programmes, such as the Presidential Solarisation Programme, the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme and the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme.

“Other graduates are already enrolling for further skills upgrading at various Vocational Training Centres around the country.

“Government has already made it mandatory that vocational certificates will be prioritised for accessing empowerment loans and entrepreneurial start-ups, from the Empower Bank.”

The Youth Service in Zimbabwe, aims to empower and train youth aged 18-35 through a 6-month program focusing on life skills, entrepreneurship, and national orientation, with a goal of fostering patriotism and civic responsibility.

It was established in 2001, following the Nziramasanga Commission Report of 1999, which recommended youth civic education training.

The new curriculum infuses national orientation with life skills training and entrepreneurial development.

The program aims to inculcate values of patriotism, discipline, national identity, service, and civic responsibility.