Revamping Employment Services

Honorable Fackson Shamenda, Minister of Labour and Social Security was quoted that Government through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security was working on a number of measures to address unemployment in the country, among them the re-establishment of Public Employment Services. This is a very welcome move that requires commendation.  As correctly observed by the Minister even His Excellency the President Mr. Michael Chilufya Sata, unemployment remains high  in Zambia and in particular among the youth. It is a ‘time bomb’! As if that is not enough, the International Labour Organization (ILO) recently announced that youth unemployment is likely to rise globally to 12.9 percent by 2017 as more young people leave the work force and the euro crisis spreads to emerging economies like Zambia. The current global rate of unemployment among youths aged 15 to 24 is 12.7 percent. That means the actual number of youths who count as "unemployed" is expected to fall globally from 74 million in 2012 to 73 million in 2017. Going by these statistics, it is clear that the Patriotic Government has a huge task to ensure that unemployment in our country has been dubbed a ‘time bomb’ is handled with the utmost rigour and complimentary efforts.

 The Minister highlighted some interventions that the government intends to revamp the apprenticeship or internship programs in collaboration with employers’ organizations. This is very cardinal and commendable in the sense that young people graduating from universities, colleges and skills training centers will be afforded a deliberate opportunity to gain experience in the field they obtain a qualification. It is common knowledge that the Zambian youth are faced with a challenge and frustrations of facing employers who want some level of experience to be considered for a job. In the light of this, there may be need for the Patriotic Front Government to review and revise the Apprenticeship Act to ensure that it is responsive to the current needs of the youth in addition to making sure Internship becomes a mandatory function of any organization to ensure that the Youth are availed an opportunity to gain experience in business and industry. In its current form the Act has, limitations and lacunas. There is also need to actually work towards the creation of National Skills Inventory to ensure that the country can take stock of the skills available on the Labour Market.

The national skills inventory will assist Government project and predict the areas were particulars skills are required. Sometimes, the problem we have is not lack of employment but having certain trades and areas of specialty being saturated while leaving other trades lacking.  Therefore, the skills inventory will enable government minimize the challenge of having too many skills in one area while neglecting others. For example, the nation certainly cannot afford to constantly train accountants or while employment opportunities lies in agri-business.
There is need to serious reform and restructure the role played by institutions such National Youth Development Council (NYDC). It entails giving the institutions a clear mandate to help the Government mobilize the youth particularly in rural areas to access coordinated programming of activities related to alleviating youth unemployment.

It further means that unemployment reduction strategies across the country are linked to ensure that youth do not just access loans but are also taught clear business management skills (Agri-business, manufacturing and trading). Zambia is endowed with abundant talent and innovativeness among the youth and if the rural youth could be a special target group, poverty levels can be reduced especially with the current positive political will. The Minister correctly observed that there was need to revamp public employment services. The current scenario around the Country is such that only the unskilled jobs are the ones available in the employment exchange centers.  A graduate from a University cannot seek employment through such centers. There would be need to re-invigorate the run down employment exchange centers and ensure that they work as a one stop-shop for employment services. The challenge of unemployment is not just a problem for the Government but a matter that requires the input of all keys stakeholders to ensure that the problem is managed.

The youth on the other hand should be seen to be serious in tackling the problem by ensuring that they put to good use loans the obtain from the Youth empowerment  Fund and organizations such as the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC).
Going by the Minister’s pronouncements, it is very clear that the Government understands the depth and magnitude of the problem of youth unemployment. We all have to appreciate that youth unemployment is a global problem and as such will require patience and be prepared to practice some strict frugality. The effects of unemployment are well documented and therefore, the earlier concrete steps are taken to mitigate it the better.