The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) and the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at aligning skills development with the changing needs of industry.

The partnership seeks to strengthen collaboration between Government, business, academia and training institutions as Zimbabwe works to develop a workforce capable of supporting industrialisation and economic growth.

Under the agreement, the parties will share labour market information, identify skills gaps across different sectors and contribute to curriculum development to ensure training programmes respond to industry requirements.

The initiative is expected to improve the flow of information between employers and training institutions, helping reduce mismatches between the skills produced by the education system and those required by businesses.

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ZNCC will mobilise businesses to participate in skills surveys and engage with training institutions, providing industry with a greater role in shaping the country's skills development agenda.

The partnership is anchored on the "triple helix" model, bringing together Government, industry and academia to create an ecosystem that supports innovation, productivity and local industrial development.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Skills Audit and Development Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the Government wanted the agreement to deliver measurable economic benefits rather than become another partnership that fails to translate into action.

The MoU comes as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen human capital development in support of investment, industrialisation and broader economic transformation.

For businesses, improved access to appropriately skilled workers could help address labour shortages, enhance productivity and strengthen the competitiveness of local industries.