18 Apr 2023

The new Labour Market Information System (LMIS) will address challenges affecting the labour market, monitor and report on labour market patterns and trends as well as provide guidance for planning, policy formulation and programme development.

Introducing the system to stakeholders during a consultative meeting at Crocodile Camp in Maun on Monday, Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) officials said they had engaged Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation (BITRI) to develop the system.

They also said they organised the meeting to appraise stakeholders on the scope and milestones of the system as well as to solicit their input for the success of the project.

They said the system would provide a robust strategy to address the high unemployment rate among graduates and stimulate economic growth.

Human Resource Development Council officials also said the system would provide reliable labour market information for various actors as well as career and policy advice to influence proper decision making across the country’s labour market ecosystem.

They said high unemployment was a serious concern and that the education system produced graduates that were not fit for the market.

They also said the system would align education and training programmes with labour market needs.

Stakeholders said they hoped the system would be easily accessible to all so that people could utilise the content provided.

One of the participants, Kgosi Leretetse Mogalakwe said university graduates should be employers and not roaming the streets.

Government, he suggested, should finance some of the graduates so that they could create employment for others.

An HRDC manager, Mr Kgomotso Waditshwene said their mandate was to transform the country into a globally competitive human resource hub by 2036 and that they were striving to ensure that local education and training institutions produced globally competitive graduates who could work anywhere in the world.

He said they were currently planning and advising on tertiary education financing as well as on workplace learning and skills required by the economy.

Mr Waditshwene also noted that the development of the system was based on specifications following a countrywide end-user requirement needs, which included the North West District.

He said it was crucial to update and validate the requirements with the end users, taking into consideration the changed socio-economic landscape as a result of COVID-19 and its outcomes as well as emerging strategies and laws.

A BITRI software developer, Ms Kelebogile Serunya said LMIS would provide information on career advice and employer services.

She added that employers would create their profiles and post jobs for job seekers to apply online.

The system, he said, would generate reports such as labour market indicators, economic indicators, occupations in demand and job seekers per district, among others.

She said it would also provide timely news, videos and articles for job seekers to appreciate. ENDS