The Insider: Filling the skills gap is the pragmatic way of realizing our dreams

Despite the vigorous capacity building initiatives going on in the country, the skills audit report disclosed a 40 percent shortage in skills required to undertake professional tasks necessary for moving the country forward. The report which was released by the Ministry of Public service involved a comprehensive survey in all sectors and found out that this phenomenon cuts across all fields of service. Countries like Singapore, China, Malaysia and Japan which have experienced a meteorite rise into big economic powers, have had skills development and capacity building among their people, as one of the secrets behind their commendable strides. When one juxtaposes the government’s vision of building a knowledge-based economy by the year 2020 and the 60 percent skills strength available, a challenge is presented to make efforts of accelerating skills development. The implication of not having a vibrant and skilled population is detrimental most especially for economically growing countries, because it creates a situation of high dependency and low innovation. Skills development creates value addition to what is produced at all levels, most especially the private sector for example in Japan and India, manufacturing is done in homes by households just because they have the skills. Recently the Rwandan security Minister expressed misgivings about training the police in professional skills, fronting avoiding spending resources on cops trainings who at times desert the force, this shows how skills development is misdirected at a certain extent. The Rwandan government however has exhibited enthusiasm in this regard, and has empowered skills development institutions like Rwanda Workforce Development Agency (RWODA), HIDA and others, to promote skills. Partners in skills development have advised the government’s capacity building agency to research on the country’s under utilised skills and demands of the labour market. The recommendation was made after the presentation of the recently conducted audit on national skills documented a 40 percent gap in the country’s human capital. The Human Resources and Institutional Capacity Development Agency (HIDA), yesterday presented its findings on a ‘National Skills Audit’ conducted mid last year to assess the existing human resource situation in the country. It revealed that Rwanda critically lacks professionals and technicians, especially in the education, hospitality industry and construction sectors after assessing employees in the institutions. Both educators and employers at the meeting insisted that more research is needed to find out about unemployed skills on the street, the quality of available skills, and the real nature of market demand for skills in the country. “Institutions of higher learning seem not to be connected to labour markets…the way forward should be a comprehensive study of the labour market,” said Prof. Silas Lwakabamba, the Rector of the National University of Rwanda during the presentation of the report at Kigali Serena Hotel. The Rwandan government however has exhibited enthusiasm in this regard, and has empowered skills development institutions like Rwanda Workforce Development Agency (RWODA), HIDA and others, to promote skills. The government has also lobbied for man power training of its citizens in outside countries like China, India and others.All that with proper channelling of the skills to make developmental sense, will impact greatly. Ends