ILO-Skills-Up Apprentices set to graduate in Zanzibar Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, the President of Zanzibar to officiate at the occasion on 23 April 2019

Media advisory | 22 April 2019

ILO news (Dar es Salaam) The ILO Skills-Up Programme (Upgrading Skills for the changing world of work) in collaboration with the Government of Zanzibar (Ministry of Labour, Employment, Elderly, Youth, Women and Children- MLEEYWC), National Council for Technical Education (NACTE) and other stakeholders in Zanzibar’s tourism sector will  celebrate the graduation of 52 apprentices on 23 April 2019.

It is more than two years after the official launch of the Quality Apprenticeship Programme in Zanzibar and the first stream of apprentices are set to walk down the podium to receive their certificates accredited by the National Council for Technical Education (NACTE).

The graduation ceremony, to be presided over by His Excellency, Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, the President of Zanzibar, who is also the Chancellor of State University of Zanzibar (SUZA), will be held at the University premises.

The Skills-Up Apprenticeship Programme in Hotel Operations in Zanzibar, was launched on 17 August 2017 by Hon. Maudline Cyrus Castico Minister of Labour, Employment, Elders, Youth, Women and Children (MLEEYWC) in a function also attended by representatives from the ILO and with Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (ZATI), Zanzibar Employers Association (ZANEMA) and Zanzibar Trade Union Congress (ZATUC).

Funded by the Government of Norway, the programme has worked to join the Government of Zanzibar’s efforts to combat the youth unemployment scourge in the Isles and skills mismatch through contributing to the national efforts on strengthening skills development. It is implemented both in Zanzibar and Mainland Tanzania (Arusha and Dar es Salaam) and designed to promote access to quality training and improve the employability status of Zanzibar’s rapidly increasing youth population of more than 1.3 million.

The graduating batch of apprentices is a testimony to the success of the partnership and level of commitment demonstrated by the Zanzibar Government and the hotel industry stakeholders in supporting the Apprenticeship Programme.

The 52 apprentices from Pemba and Unguja have successfully completed a two-year tailor made, four (4) semesters training module which included 6 months of theoretical learning at the Institute of Tourism Development (IToD - SUZA), and 18 months for on-the-job training at 15 of Zanzibar’s best hotels and resorts. This gave the Apprentices a chance to specialise in either housekeeping, front desk management or food and beverage departments. Key to their field work training was also communications skills and work culture orientation.

The Government of Zanzibar, with technical support from ILO, plans to go further with the programme to boost the Isles’ hospitality industry which is handicapped by a severe lack of skilled workers. A new batch of more than 150 apprentices have already been registered with the University ready to start training in early May this year.