18 Feb 2018

 Minister of Employment, Labour Productivity and Skills Development, Mr Tshenolo Mabeo says the Tsau Satellite Rapid Skills Development Centre will help empower young people to uplift their lives.

Official opening the centre on February 16, Mr Mabeo said the objective was to link the centre with other government programmes such as the Youth Development Fund.

Mr Mabeo said programmes such as the YDF failed due to lack of relevant skills.

He encouraged young people to form business associations after completing training programmes.

The minister said the rapid skills development centre offered programmes relevant to the North West District such as bricklaying and plastering, carpentry, plumbing, hair dressing, fisheries and livestock management.

Mr Mabeo said other programmes to be offered were Information, Communication and Technology, arts and crafts, hospitality and tourism  as well as tour guiding.

He noted that about 55 students had already enrolled and were undergoing training on hair dressing, painting and decoration, bricklaying and plastering while about 20 students were to begin training on February 19.

Mr Mabeo said the launch of the centre was a good send off present to President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama who would be vacating office March 31 since he valued skills development centres, especially to unemployed youth.

He said programmes offered were competency based, explaining that they were based on the quality of work produced by students.

The programmes, he noted, were offered for a period between three to six months, and he encouraged students to produce quality results.

Minister Mabeo also launched the ministry’s communication strategy and the corruption booklet.

The ministry’s permanent secretary, Ms Pearl Ramokoka said they aimed to reach out to Batswana outside Gaborone hence the launch in Tsau.

She said the ministry dealt with labour issues, the safety of workers in the workplace, productivity and skills development. Ends