WDA launches second batch of trainings on skills development
Kigali, On Tuesday 9th May 2019. The ministry of education, through Work force Development Authority (WDA) launched the SDF trainings under the second call.
The event was attended by WDA officials and a series of 51 companies as successful applicants, training providers from different sectors including 5 from the energy, 31 from manufacturing and 15 from the transport.
The second call will involve 2,445 trainees including 640 from Window 1 and 1,785 from Window 3.
In his opening remarks, The Director General of WDA, ENG. Pascal Gatabazi explained that Skills Development Fund is the project within WDA that provides funds for rapid skills delivery through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
It is funded by the World Bank and has the objective to minimize skills gap observed in the private business operators.
“This is the most efficient means of supporting components that focuses on skills development by corresponding demand and supply, said Director General, “WDA ENG. Pascal Gatabazi, during the event.
Skills development needs are continually shifting rapidly in Rwanda, especially where more and more foreign investors are coming into the country. It is for this reason that WDA considers that precedent needs to be addressed quickly, and in a flexible but strategic way, he added.
Eng. Gatabazi further said that the project was in line with the government efforts to empower Rwandans, especially youths, with quality practical hands-on skills to help transform the country’s economy.
“The program is intended to minimize skills gaps by rapidly increasing the supply of high demand skills in the labor market,” he noted.
On his part, John Bonds Bideri, chairman Board of Directors of WDA hailed the institution for the steps so far covered in training program saying that capacity and skills development was a ‘crisis’ in Rwanda.
He called on benefitting companies to focus on accountability, efficiency and above all the will to deliver maximized results.
The second call for trainings has total budget equivalent to 1.7 billion RFW, covering 4 months.
“This is a lot of money.Training providers should work towards positive results. It would be great shame when out of 9000 targeted trainees come out with nothing to show at the end of the program, it would be a great loss for the entire country,” he said.
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The Government of Rwanda through the Workforce Development Authority (WDA) received a credit from the World Bank for the implementation of its skills development strategy.
This Credit has been provided under the Skills Development Project (SDP).
The SDF II is implemented by WDA through the existing National Employment Program (NEP) structures and guidelines.
It is expanding training opportunities for the acquisition of quality, market-relevant skills with more focus on selected economic sectors of energy, transport and logistics, and manufacturing (with a focus on ‘Made in Rwanda’ products).
They are selected on basis of number of employees, capacity and potential for value addition and improved productivity, foreign direct investment increase and sectors support growth in other sectors.
The Project is providing grants to firms with the most responsive proposals as an effective instrument to rapidly reduce skills gaps and promote employment.