VETA INVITES TANZANIANS TO ENROLL YOUTH IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING

By Carlos Claudio, Dar es Salaam

The Vocational Education and Training Authority (VETA) has called on Tanzanians to enroll their youth in vocational training programmes so they can gain practical skills that will enable them to become self-employed or secure formal employment after completing their studies.

The call was made by VETA Carpentry Instructor, Ayubu Omari, while briefing journalists who visited the VETA pavilion at the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba), currently taking place at the Mwalimu Julius Nyerere Trade Fair Grounds in Dar es Salaam.

Omari said VETA is focused on equipping young people with life skills through training in different technical fields, alongside entrepreneurship education that prepares them to use their knowledge to establish income-generating activities.

He said the Sabasaba exhibitions provide VETA with an important platform to demonstrate how vocational education can help address youth unemployment by preparing young people with skills that are relevant to the labour market.

“In my area, I teach carpentry. We offer a two-year long course, as well as short courses that run from three to six months,” said Omari.

He added that during this year’s trade fair, VETA has displayed various furniture products made from timber as part of promoting the use of local materials in producing quality furniture.

Among the products on display is a disabled toilet stool, a special item designed to assist people with leg disabilities who may face challenges when using toilet facilities.

“The stool is intended to make it easier and safer for a person with mobility challenges to use the toilet independently,” he explained.

VETA has also showcased an expansion showcase, a special cabinet that can be extended depending on the size of a user’s room or home.

Omari said the cabinet is designed to support people who are starting life in small rooms, as they can expand it when they progress economically and move into larger homes.

He noted that the expansion showcase is made from special timber designed to last longer and resist termite damage.

According to Omari, VETA students are not only trained in technical skills such as furniture-making, but are also equipped with entrepreneurship knowledge to enable them to start their own businesses or find employment in different sectors.