23 Apr 2023

In order to ensure availability of reliable, comprehensive, cost effective and up-to date labour market information, Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) has engaged Botswana Institute for Technology, Research and Innovation (BITRI) to develop Botswana Labour Market Information System (LMIS).

Updating stakeholders on the system development at a consultative workshop in Palapye on Friday, director in the department of statistics, research, development and innovation at HRDC Dr Tlamelo Sekambo said the system was part of their mandate as council to provide policy advice on matters of human resource development and planning.

She said the main goal of the LMIS was to generate reliable labour market information to various sectors in the economy regarding the labour market information; looking at new labour market trends as well as key economic and labour issues, and availability of employment opportunities within the economy.

Dr Sekambo said the LMIS will harness data both from the  education providers and  employers (the different sectors of the economy), and information collected and analysed would support effective policy decision making as well as effective planning. 

“The LMIS will help generate the zero time data because we will have interfaced with the various sources of education data base and also from the employers’ side such as the Botswana Unified Revenue Services, CIPA, National Registration(Omang) system and so forth”, she said.

Dr Sekambo further said they hoped  that once the system was fully functional they would have alignment of education programs with the needs in the labour market and eliminated issues of mismatch and also the students’ outcomes right from pre- primary up to tertiary education would be tracked.

Additionally, she said would track students education record that included, the programmes and  reasons for those who failed to complte courses.  

Dr Sekambo said that the system would allow them to do planning and forecasting of labour market trends because the ministry would collect and analyse data on labour market trends such as the emergence of new jobs. 

“With these technological advancements and the greening of the economy we anticipate to have new jobs and other jobs will be absolute”, she said.

She therefore said that they were looking at the situation to see whether there would be skills shortages in certain sectors of the economy and pay attention to the demographic changes.

For example, she said, they would be looking at ages of  new entrants into the labour market specifically at which areas they were more attracted to so that they could  be developed. 

She said the system would also help investors, because they would be able to search for available skills and competencies required to run their businesses.

This, she said would guide  and Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs when issuing work permits.  

Dr Sekambo said the information would be available for the different sectors of the economy and players of the economy such as parents, students, investors, policy makers and others.

The functionality of LMIS, she said would depend on how much they collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure that  information and data was always available.

In an interview one of the job seekers in Palapye who attended the workshop Mr Moreetsi Disono said that he was optimistic that the LMIS would expose them to employment opportunities.   

He said he was hopeful that the system would reduce waiting time for job seekers. ends