Mining giant, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), has called for more partnerships to bridge mining skill gaps currently existing in the country as it pledges to continue funding skills training.
KCM Manager Learning and Development Patricia Kabwe said the mining conglomerate has spent part of its US$4 billion investments in the country since inception towards skills training, which she said had not only benefited KCM but the mining sector as a whole.
Education is important in national development as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national documents like the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) and Vision 2030 among others, Ms Kabwe said. She said this during the graduation ceremony at KCMs Kitwe Trade School in Kitwe recently, that the company was committed to reducing the challenge of lack of skilled labour in the mining sector. Ms Kabwe said the school has trained more than 1,000 students since KCM took over the sponsorship of the training college which has been in existence for more than 60 years.
Higher Education Permanent Secretary Mr Mabvuto Sakala said government would like to see more skilled labour to run various sectors of the economy as that was why skills levy was introduced. “Skilled human capital is important for any country to economically grow hence the reason government introduced skills levy to bridge the skilled labour gap in the country,” Mr Sakala said.
