Minister of Labour Peter Dimba has said the government is counting on young people with technical skills to play a critical role in driving Malawi’s economic growth.

Speaking in Blantyre on Tuesday during the graduation ceremony of 750 students trained under the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) Authority, Dimba urged the graduates to embrace self-employment instead of waiting for formal job opportunities.

“As government, we believe that our economy can grow faster if young people take the lead using their skills because they have the power to create jobs, not just for themselves, but for others too,” Dimba said.

In his remarks, TEVETA Board Chairperson Pyoka Tembo reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to equipping more young people with quality skills that match the needs of the labour market.

“We will continue improving the quality and accessibility of our training programs so that more youths are empowered to contribute meaningfully to national development,” Tembo said.

The 750 graduates received training in diverse fields including automobile mechanics, welding and fabrication, plumbing, video production, ICT, refrigeration and air conditioning, electrical installation, fashion designing, and food production.