The government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling youth unemployment by expanding the National Skills Development Programme, with 5,746 young Tanzanians currently undergoing apprenticeship training across the country.
Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Office responsible for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Dr Evaline Munisi, said the programme is helping to build a skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of Tanzania's growing economy and the aspirations of the National Development Vision 2050.
Speaking after inspecting apprenticeship training at Sengerema Folk Development College (FDC) in Mwanza on Monday, Dr Munisi said the initiative is being implemented through a public-private partnership that combines classroom instruction with workplace experience.
"The government is committed to ensuring young people acquire practical skills, knowledge and innovation that will enable them to secure employment or create their own jobs while enhancing the country's competitiveness in both local and international labour markets," she said.
She noted that apprentices spend 40 per cent of their training in classrooms and more than 60 per cent gaining practical experience at workplaces, with the government meeting the full cost of tuition.
To strengthen the programme, Dr Munisi said the government has introduced additional support for trainees under the eighth phase by providing health insurance to all 5,746 apprentices and a monthly transport allowance of Sh100,000 during the two-month industrial attachment period.
She urged training institutions to complement technical instruction with character development by instilling discipline, integrity, patriotism and accountability, while strengthening collaboration with employers to ensure apprentices receive meaningful workplace experience.
Acting Director of Employment and Skills Development, Ms Alana Nchimbi, said the National Skills Development Programme was launched in the 2016/17 financial year to improve workforce skills and expand employment opportunities.
She said the programme has benefited 168,657 Tanzanians through four key interventions: apprenticeship training, graduate internship placements, recognition of prior learning for skills acquired outside the formal education system, and skills upgrading for workers.
During the 2025/26 financial year, apprenticeship training is being conducted in 46 colleges and training institutions across 25 regions of mainland Tanzania, covering 5,746 young people in a wide range of occupations.
In Mwanza Region, the programme is being implemented through Sengerema Folk Development College, Malya Folk Development College and Pine College, which together have enrolled 339 apprentices.
Beneficiaries said the government-funded programme has enabled them to acquire practical skills, build professional networks and develop entrepreneurial capabilities, with some already generating income using the knowledge they have gained since training began in January this year.
The trainees commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the Prime Minister's Office for fully financing tuition and providing health insurance, describing the programme as a major opportunity for young people who would otherwise struggle to access vocational training.
However, they called for stronger partnerships between the government and employers to increase industrial attachment opportunities, noting that some institutions and companies continue to charge trainees before accepting them for workplace placements.
They said the apprenticeship programme has equipped them with the confidence and competence to pursue self-employment or formal jobs, while positioning them to contribute more effectively to Tanzania's economic transformation through productivity, innovation and quality service delivery.
