”The need for practical knowledge is huge in Zambia. The training that technicians receive today is not in line with industry needs. Therefore companies are instead bringing in manpower from India and South Africa”, says Julia Jonasson, who co-ordinates the Volvo Group´s professional training in development countries.
Since the mining industry is one of the largest industries in Zambia, the training deals mainly with servicing trucks and construction equipment. The programme, which is scheduled to start in January next year, will take place at Nortec (Northern Technical College) in the city of Ndola. Some 140 students will be trained every year and the aim is to have at least 75 per cent of them work as engineering technicians or the equivalent after their studies.
Developing technicians in developing countries
The Zambia training programme will see some 140 students trained every year. The aim is to have at least 75 per cent of students find work as engineering technicians after their studies.
The Volvo Group also offers apprenticeships in Morocco and Ethiopia, with the percentage of woman studying consistently increasing every year. In the latest intake of apprentices in Ethiopia, 14 out of 32 students are women.