In a bid to encourage young entrepreneurs to venture into business after completion of studies from various technical colleges, the country’s sole provider of vocation training and entrepreneurship, Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocation Education Training Authority (TEVETA) has awarded 16 young individuals for coming up with credible business proposals and successfully establishing reputable enterprises.
In an event which took place on Thursday, evening, August 20, 2015 in the capital Lilongwe, drew entrepreneurs from across the nation of TEVETA’s training institutions which were in two categories of awards namely Tevet graduate and entrepreneur year awards.
In graduate awards, participants were asked to develop a business proposals with practical output that such plans could translate into reputable enterprises in line with Teveta’s courses and training programmes including electrical, plumbing, tailoring, mechanics, tourisms and food beverages, administrative, carpentry and joinery among others while entrepreneur awards looked into a successful individual done tremendously on entrepreneurship after graduating from technical colleges.
With the theme titled, “Entrepreneurship for Economic Independence”, there were three winners in entrepreneur year awards catering home cash prices ranging from MK200, 000 to MK500, 000 while graduate awards had 13 frontrunners and gotten MK100, 000 each with certificates, trophies and hampers.
In an exclusive interview with The Maravi Post, Samuel Gomani of Kauni Solar and Electrical contractor who imaged as the grand winner of Tevet 2015 entrepreneur Award by getting MK500, 000 cash, expressed gratitude for his work being recognized saying Malawi’s sustainable developments was possible with the use of renewable sources of energy such as solar electrical appliances.
“The recognition and award given show how significant the uses of solar electrical appliances are to the people of Malawi. Sustainable development is achieved through the use of renewable sources of energy such as solar.
“This award will go a long way in exploring other modalities to support the work for the continual conserving the environment which is critical to any country’s development including Malawi. Therefore, we need to support and embrace the use of solar equipment’s as are environmental friendly”, urges Gomani.
Later, The Maravi Post spoke to Gilbert Chilinde, Teveta’s Board Chairperson who said the initiative which will be running yearly expects young graduates from technical colleges to venture into productive and sustainable business upon completion of their trainings.
“Teveta’ policy plays a pivotal role in complementing government’s efforts in directing and promoting technical, vocational and entrepreneurship training education in Malawi. As skills development for youths is one of the government priorities, this will an able them to create employment and improve their plight by contributing meaningfully to social and economic development of the country.
“Thus, I am encouraging the awardees to go ahead and strive on making sure that business proposals are translated into reputable enterprises in order to change many lives. In this regard, other stalk holders must collaborate with government through Teveta towards job creation which will take the country forward”, urges Chilinde.
The TEVET Authority is a regulatory body that was established in 1999 by an Act of Parliament with the mandate to promote and regulate sustainable provision of quality technical, entrepreneurial and vocational education and training for the Malawian workforce in a socially responsible manner.
The authority launched the TEVETA Entrepreneurship Awards to fulfill one of its functions which, according to section 5 (e) of the TEVET Act, is “to foster and promote entrepreneurial values and skills as an integral part of technical education and training” and this promotes self-employment and increases employment opportunities for the Malawian youth.
Through this initiative, the Authority will be awarding various outstanding established as well as upcoming entrepreneurs as one way of motivating them, other business operators and TEVET graduates to opt for entrepreneurship upon completion of their training.
