UPP to initiate graduate empowerment programme

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 12:37:47 +0000

By Bennie Mundando

WE will initiate the graduate development and preparation programmes once we come in power to enhance employability of jobless graduates, United Progressive People (UPP) president Saviour Chishimba has said.

Dr. Chishimba said unemployment levels in Zambia have remained high despite interventions such as the Youth Development Fund (YDF) which he said was difficult to access due to complications in the acquisition process.

He said the unemployed youth have been subjected to complicated application processes and they were made to open bank accounts as a precondition for accessing the funds with bank fees proving to be a cost to the unemployed whose applications are unsuccessful, hence the need to come up better alternatives to empower the youths.

He said youth empowerment through sound initiatives remained the cornerstone for alleviating poverty and unemployment among the youths, including those who had attained tertiary education.

He said once voted into power, UPP would come up with the Graduate Development Programme (GDP) and Job Preparation Programme (JPP) to ensure that skilled labour did not go to waste but was utilised for the development of the country.

“The UPP – led government will undertake serious initiatives aimed at accelerating youth entrepreneurship and job creation in Zambia such as the Graduate Development Programme (GDP) and Job Preparation Programme (JPP). Its aim will be to enhance the employability of jobless graduates by providing them with job preparation and job development support that helps young people find work placements.

“We shall also revamp the National Youth Service (ZNS) programmes where young people will acquire accredited technical skills, life skills and work experience as well as linkage to existing opportunities and also initiate a graduate database linking unemployed young people to job opportunities. A database will be established which will provide an online job-linking service which employers can use to find staff and on which job-seekers can load their CVs,” Dr. Chishimba said.

He said UPP would also establish Youth Advisory Centres (YACs) hubs as walk-in centres at community level in partnership with municipalities where young people could access products and services including career counselling.

He said the twin pillars of youth development would be in agriculture as the base while industrialisation which would include mining and quarrying, manufacturing and construction.

“Integrated land development schemes for youth as part of growth centres for rapid rural economic development for the benefit of the youth as the main thrust shall be to shift production orientation of youth initiated traditional smallholder from subsistence activities to the production of export crops and exploit opportunities,” he said