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Daniel Chigunwe Herald Correspondent

Youths in Mazowe district in Mashonaland Central have called on the Government to speed up establishment of more Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) for impartation of technical skills that will contribute in making the devolution agenda successful.

The youths said such training centres will also assist with the creation of income generating opportunities.

One of the youths, artist and designer Innocent Kamoto of Glendale who recently secured a US$30 000 embroidery machine, said they were ready to embrace new opportunities in lucrative businesses.

He expressed the need for VTCs in the province, saying young entrepreneurs were lacking technical expertise, hence their reluctance to venture into other businesses besides mining and farming.

“As youth, we feel that more can be done in implementing the devolution agenda through the impartation of technical skills to both women and youths,” said Mr Kamoto. “Currently, we have the majority of these groups making a living through mining and agriculture.

“The new dispensation has opened a number of opportunities for youths and women to embrace business through the Youth and Women empower banks, however, lack of skills and knowledge is behind the slow rise of youths in business, hence we think that the establishment of VTC’s may address the challenges.”

Zanu PF provincial youth secretary for Labour and Social Welfare Cde Brian Jonga said all efforts were being undertaken to make sure youths embraced various entrepreneurial skills.

“We have many youths in the province who are making new initiatives in business and this includes one of our Bindura farmer who is into maggots business to make poultry feed and we have many joining fisheries as well,” he said.

“In many instances, pioneers of these projects are also doing their best to impart skills to new interested individuals, including the holding of training workshops. “But this alone is not enough, hence VTCs are important for the achievement of an upper middle income by 2030.”