Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Minister of State, Judith Ncube, challenged students to turn their skills, ideas and innovations into practical enterprises that contribute to Zimbabwe’s industrialisation and Vision 2030 agenda.
Speaking at the Bulawayo Polytechnic, yesterday, during a public lecture on “Harnessing Students’ Potential for Sustainable Industrialisation and Vision 2030”, Ncube said young people should move beyond acquiring qualifications and become active participants in solving the country’s economic challenges.
“Zimbabwe’s industrial transformation depends on young people applying their knowledge to develop products, services and businesses capable of creating jobs and driving economic growth.
She urged students to embrace innovation, entrepreneurship, skills development and value addition, saying these were critical tools for transforming ideas into tangible economic initiatives.
“Institutions of higher and tertiary education have an important role to play in equipping students with practical skills that respond to the needs of industry and the wider economy.
“We must harness the potential of our students and create an environment where ideas can be transformed into tangible initiatives,” she said.
The minister said young people should take advantage of opportunities available through education and skills development to create solutions that address challenges in their communities while contributing to national development.
“Through practical initiatives, skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship and value addition, our students can become the drivers of sustainable industrialisation,” Ncube said.
Ncube said the transition from ideas to viable initiatives was essential if Zimbabwe was to unlock the full economic potential of its youthful population.
“We cannot afford to have young people with ideas that remain on paper. We need to see those ideas becoming businesses, products, technologies and solutions that make a difference,” she said.
The public lecture brought together students and stakeholders to explore ways of strengthening the contribution of young people to sustainable industrialisation.
The engagement comes as Zimbabwe continues to promote skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship and value addition as key pillars of its economic transformation strategy.
