KEY NOTE SPEECH BY THE ZAMBIA FEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MR. HARRINGTON CHIBANDA AT THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY (CBU) CURRICULUM REVIEW WORKSHOP PRESENTED ON 15TH NOVEMBER 2022.
THE ZAMBIA FEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS TAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION FOR ACCORDING THE ZFE THIS GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A KEY NOTE SPEECH AT THIS VERY IMPORTANT FUNCTION REGARDING THE REVIEW OF THE UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM. IT IS A VERY KNOWN FACT THAT OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS FROM INDUSTRY THAT THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON OVER THE YEARS HAVE NOT BEEN INDUSTRY DRIVEN HENCE THE ASPECT OF SKILLS MISMATCHES AS CURRENT CURRICULUM DEVELOPED IN TRAINING INSTITUTIONS DOES NOT MEET THE NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY IN MOST CASES. THERE IS THEREFORE, A STRONG NEED FOR COLLABORATION BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND INSTITUTIONS OF LEARNING SUCH AS THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY IN REGARDS TO CURRICULUM REVIEW, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS IN THE DELIVERY OF TRAINING.
THE UNIVERSITY MAY WISH TO KNOW THAT UNDERSTANDING THE LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION LANDSCAPE OF A COUNTRY IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT IN PROVIDING THE KIND OF TRAINING PROGRAMMES THAT CAN RESPOND TO THE INDUSTRY NEEDS. THE UNIVERSITY MAY ALSO WISH TO KNOW THAT IN 2020, THE SKILLS ANTICIPATION PROJECT INITIATIVE FOR AFRICA (SIFA) SKILLS ANTICIPATION PROJECT, CONDUCTED A STUDY, TO MAP THE EXISTING DATA SOURCES/PROVIDERS, REVIEW CURRENT PRACTICES, CAPACITIES AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION AND TO PROVIDE CONCRETE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF EXISTING SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES. THE MAPPING EXERCISE PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE ZAMBIA LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM (LMIS), ITS DATA SOURCES, ITS, CAPACITIES AND INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS. THE REPORT HIGHLIGHTED STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THE COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE AN INSTITUTIONALIZED PROCESS OF ANTICIPATING LABOUR MARKET SKILLS NEEDS.
REGARDING LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION GOVERNANCE, FINDINGS OF THE STUDY SHOWED THAT THE CHALLENGE FOR ZAMBIA IS NOT RELATED TO PROVISIONS IN THE POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK, BUT MORE SO WITH LACK OF ITS IMPLEMENTATION. THE STUDY ESTABLISHED EXISTENCE OF PARTNERSHIPS AMONG KEY ACTORS AMONG THEM COLLABORATION FOR THE LABOUR FORCE SURVEY AND SKILLS SURVEY. THE STUDY ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE FOLLOWING GAPS:
LACK OF A COMPREHENSIVE LMIS; LACK OF A DEDICATED INTEGRATED LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM (ILMIS) UNIT; AND LIMITED NATIONAL SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND COORDINATION STRUCTURES TO SUPPORT A FUNCTIONING LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION SYSTEM. FURTHER, GOVERNANCE WAS HAMPERED BY UNDER-UTILIZATION OF VISION 2030 AS A POTENTIAL TOOL FOR STIMULATING SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND COORDINATION OF LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION ACTORS; AND THE LACK OF AN EXPLICIT PROGRAMME OR ROLE FOR THE LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION SYSTEM IN THE 7TH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN (NDP).
WITH REGARDS TO DATA AVAILABILITY, THE STUDY SHOWED THAT DESPITE MISMATCHES BETWEEN THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND THE SKILLS DEVELOPED BY TRAINING INSTITUTIONS, THERE IS AN EMERGING MARKET FOR LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION DATA IN THE ZAMBIAN ECONOMY INCLUDING THAT FROM SURVEYS AND ADMINISTRATIVE DATA. DESPITE THE AVAILABILITY OF SPECIALISED PERSONNEL IN THE LABOUR MARKET, CAPACITY TO EFFECTIVELY PROCESS, SYNTHESIZE AND ANALYSE DATA WAS LOW. THE STUDY ESTABLISHED THAT FOUNDATIONAL DATA FROM PERIODIC LABOUR FORCE SURVEY (LFS) WAS AVAILABLE AND ALIGNED TO INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STATISTICS STANDARDS AND THAT DATA QUALITY WAS GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE.
GENERALLY, GAPS EXISTED BETWEEN THE DATA COLLECTED AND THAT REQUIRED FOR EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF A LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION SYSTEM. THE STUDY ESTABLISHED THE LIMITED UTILISATION OF SKILLS ANTICIPATION DATA FOR NATIONAL PLANNING, PROGRAMMING AND POLICY MAKING AS A RESULT OF INHERENT GAPS IN THE LMI AND SKILLS ANTICIPATION SYSTEM.
OUR STRONG BELIEF IN THE ZAMBIA FEDERATION OF EMPLOYERS IS THAT FOR UNIVERSITIES SUCH AS THE COPPERBELT UNIVERSITY TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM THAT MUST RESPOND TO INDUSTRY NEEDS, THERE IS NEED FOR INDUSTRY TO COME OUT AND START GIVING OUT INFORMATION ON THEIR SKILLS ANTICIPATION. INDUSTRY SKILLS PROJECTIONS MUST FORM A BASIS FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT. EQUALLY INDUSTRY SKILLS ANTICIPATION OR PROJECTIONS MUST AID LEARNERS ON MAKING CHOICES IN TERMS OF COURSES THAT THEY MUST UNDERTAKE AND THESE MUST BE COURSES WHOSE SKILLS ARE NEEDED BY INDUSTRY. IN ORDER TO REMAIN RELEVANT TO INDUSTRY WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING TO BE AREAS OF FOCUS BY THE UNIVERSITY:
PROMOTE DIGITAL COLLABORATION
TO RETAIN YOUR EDGE, THE UNIVERSITY MAY HAVE TO LEAN MORE FULLY INTO INDUSTRY COLLABORATION – WORKING WITH PIONEERS IN THE DIGITAL SECTOR AND TAPPING INTO THEIR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE KNOWLEDGE TO HELP INFORM THE DESIGN OF ACADEMIC COURSES AND TO SHARE EXPERIENCE AND INSIGHTS DIRECTLY WITH STUDENTS. PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS IN ESTABLISHED EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS WILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO SCALE TEACHING AND LEARNING CAPACITY IN A MORE AGILE WAY AND CAN PUT THE UNIVERSITY ON THE FRONT FOOT IN ITS RESPONSE TO AN IMPACTFUL ISSUE.
FOCUS ON SOFT SKILLS
WHILE ORGANISATIONS ARE OFTEN ABLE TO FINE-TUNE THEIR EMPLOYEES’ TECHNICAL SKILLS THROUGH ONGOING TRAINING, THE CULTIVATION OF COMPLEX PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS, TOGETHER WITH ADVANCED COMMUNICATION, TEAM WORKING, AND OTHER BEHAVIOURAL SKILLS CAN BE HIGHLY DEVELOPED LONG BEFORE STUDENTS ENTER THE WORKPLACE. COLLABORATING WITH THEIR PEERS ON REAL-LIFE GROUP PROJECTS – VIRTUALLY AS WELL AS IN PERSON – OFFER VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO MEET PEOPLE FROM CAMPUSES ALL OVER THE WORLD. SOUGHT-AFTER ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSETS CAN ALSO BE DEVELOPED BY REQUIRING STUDENTS TO WORK IN SELF-DIRECTED WAYS THAT ARE IMPORTANT IN THE MODERN WORKPLACE.
OFFER REAL WORK EXPERIENCE
AS THE LEARNING-TO-EARNING PIPELINE BECOMES MORE CLOSELY CONNECTED, WORK EXPERIENCE ACQUIRES EVEN GREATER IMPORTANCE. ALTHOUGH EMPLOYABILITY CAN’T BE TAUGHT, STUDENTS CAN BE SUPPORTED TO APPLY THEIR ACADEMIC KNOWLEDGE IN THE WORKPLACE. ENSURING STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO PRACTICAL OPPORTUNITIES CAN OFFER STUDENTS USEFUL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE, AS WELL AS PROVIDING THEM WITH ACCESS TO A POTENTIALLY VALUABLE NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS. UNIVERSITIES CAN ALSO ENABLE ACCESS TO EXTENSIVE (AND, POTENTIALLY LONG-TERM) DIGITAL RESOURCES INCLUDING JOB LISTINGS AND INTERNSHIP PROGRAMMES.
TAKING THE LEAD IN THE FUTURE OF WORK
THE FUTURE OF WORK WILL DEMAND GREATER INNOVATION, AGILITY, AND DIVERSITY. IN AN INCREASINGLY VOLATILE JOBS MARKET, UNIVERSITIES CAN GRASP THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE LEAD IN PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK BY PROMOTING BROADER SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, OPENING ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS AND PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY TO DELIVER PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCES. BY EMBEDDING EMERGING SKILLS IN THEIR CURRICULA, AS WELL AS FOCUSING ON NURTURING THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY SKILLS THAT WILL UNDERPIN ANY SUCCESSFUL CAREER, UNIVERSITIES CAN IMPROVE GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY OUTCOMES, CEMENTING THEIR STATUS AS THE LOCUS NOT ONLY OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, BUT ALSO AS INSTITUTIONS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE LIFE-LONG LEARNING THAT WILL EQUIP AND EMPOWER THE WORKFORCE OF THE FUTURE.
MEETING THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBALISATION
IT IS NO DOUBT THAT CORPORATES NEED BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS WHO WOULD BE ABLE TO PRODUCE AND SUPPLY THE REQUIREMENTS OF JOBS IN AN ORGANISATION. IN ORDER TO COMPETE AND FACE THE CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL BUSINESS PHENOMENA AND THE SITUATION CAUSED BY GLOBALIZATION AND INTERNATIONALIZATION IN THE BUSINESS WORLD, FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS NEED TO BE COMPETENT TO FACE THE FUTURE. THUS, THE RATIONALES FOR THIS FUTURISTIC CURRICULUM ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- TO RESTRUCTURE THE PRESENT CURRICULUM OF THE HIGHER LEARNING TO MEET THE COUNTRY’S NEEDS BASED ON THE GLOBAL CHANGES ON DIGITAL AND POST-DIGITAL AGE;
- TO RESTRUCTURE THE PRESENT CURRICULUM TO BE MORE FUTURE-ORIENTED WITH AN AIM TO PRODUCE GRADUATES TO MEET THE FUTURE DEMANDS;
- TO MEET THE CURRENT DIGITAL CHALLENGE IN LINE WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. AS TECHNOLOGY IS MOVING TOO FAST, WE ARE NOT EVEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE OLD CURRICULUM IN LINE WITH THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT;
- TO CREATE A NEW CURRICULUM TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF THE FUTURE CURRICULUM AS THE FUTURE CURRICULUM IS FLEXIBLE IN NATURE AND HAS A SHORT-LIFE SPAN AS COMPARED TO OTHER CURRICULUM WHICH POSSESS OWN PRESENT ORIENTATION OR PROBLEM-SOLVING CHARACTERISTICS.
- DESIGNING A HOLISTIC AND PRACTICAL CURRICULUM SHOULD BE AN ON-GOING WORK-IN PROGRESS WITH MANY STAKEHOLDERS FROM WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE UNIVERSITY SETTING
- COLLABORATING WITH SECTOR EMPLOYERS TO IDENTIFY SKILLS REQUIRED FOR TRADE, EXPORT AND DIVERSIFICATION AND IN COLLABORATION WITH THE SECTOR EMPLOYERS TO DEVELOP CURRICULUM FOR SUCH REQUIREMENTS.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN TO ZFE TO SHARE ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT MATTER.