THE local education curricula must be tailor-made to inculcate entrepreneurship skills from early childhood development (ECD) inorder to stem colleges and universities churning out ‘useless’ graduates onto the streets, a human resources expert has said.
Institute of People Management of Zimbabwe (IPMZ) immediate past president, Philemon Chitagu said the labour market lacks employment opportunities for graduates coming out of various colleges and universities, hence the need to focus on training learners from primary and secondary school to establish enterprises.
“The success of any organisation depends on the type of human resource, which then determines success of a nation,” Chitagu said.
“How many students are being churned out and how many positions do we have on the market? Calculations estimate about 14 000 graduates are released onto the market every year, which market we all understand is stagnant because of the challenges we are experiencing at the moment.
“Now, the question is where do all these people go after they graduate? Are they graduating into the streets? And if the answer is yes, what do we do because we have to find a solution, we cannot just know we are graduating people into the streets.
“Inorder to solve this, one thing comes to mind, entrepreneurship,” said Chitagu, who is also Shweppes human resources director.
Chitagu was speaking during Champion College’s annual speech and prize giving day at Chapman Golf Club in Harare Sunday.
He added: “So as go on our journey, we have to have an entrepreneurial mindset, and do certain things on our own. We should not be there to be employed, but to be employers. Let us desire to be employers. This calls for courageous, disciplined and humble learners to succeed.”
He also called on learners to adopt new information communications technology (ICTs) inorder to remain relevant on the labour market.
Guest of honour, Paida Jakachira, who is human resources and systems director at Speedlink Cargo, emphasised success of every learner depended on hardwork and resilience in the wake of adversity.
She took the audience on her inspirational life journey from humble beginnings in Harare’s Glen View high density surburb, to scaling the
corporate ladder where she is rubbing shoulders with the country’s eminent business executives.
Jakachira, who is also IPMZ vice president, urged learners to choose careers wisely and follow their passion, and called on parents and
guardians to desist from forcing children into their preferred jobs.
Speaking at the same occasion, Champion College Chief Executive Officer, Tendesai Mushamba said his institution strives to mould responsible future leaders, who are not merely academically endowed, but socially and morally upright as well as environmentally conscious.
In this vain, Champion College adopted an island along Jason Moyo Avenue in Harare where students will plant and maintain flowers led by City of Harare junior councillors namely Miledis Marufu and Moreblessing Nyika, who motivated others on the environmental awareness campaign.
In recognition of excellence, the Association of Independent Colleges in Zimbabwe (AICZ) president, Washington Mahiya offered an international scholarship to Champion College headboy, Wilbert Ndongwe.
Also the present at Sunday’s speech and prize giving ceremony were Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) regional manager, a Musvipa, Yeukai Gatsi the IPMZ Mashonaland chairperson and HR manager at Toyota Zimbabwe, Mbare district schools inspector (DSI) Chinoona, a Mandiona manager at Hanawa, and Hermish Marwa who is Knockout chief executive officer, among others