AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE 21st century Generation Empower (GenEm) programme to be run in partnership with the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and Empower Limited was launched in Dar es Salaam at the weekend.
The event was graced by UDSM Chancellor and Former President, Dr Jakaya Kikwete, and was attended by university leaders, lecturers, students, executives of Empower Limited and various stakeholders from the education sector in the country.
Speaking at the event, Dr Kikwete said UDSM was partnering with Empower in a five-year partnership programme to groom university students for the 21st century labour market.
“If we are to remain relevant, this university, therefore, must address this crisis of our time of jobless graduates. I am delighted that the programme we are launching today is a step in that direction,” he said.
“We must go further to see how best we can do to help those who wish to go for self-employment. We must ask ourselves a question, how helpful and useful our university can be to help them create jobs for themselves and others? The answer to this question and that of employability, will make our university and degrees it offers relevant.”
Founder and Managing Director of Empower Limited Miranda Naiman said “Our work with the Tanzanian youth over the last 11 years has culminated in this partnership. We are delighted to bring together all stakeholders to build our nation by investing in our future leaders.”
GenEm will work in tandem with UDSM’s academic programmes to impart requisite knowledge and skills, industry exposure and connection to employment. Ms Naiman added: “Corporates can benefit from the very best students who will add value to your organisation.”
GenEm is facilitated by Empower Youth Department in collaboration with UDSM’s Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (UDIEC) that strives to be the leading centre in Africa for enabling entrepreneurship and innovation.
The first cohort will comprise of 270 students from various disciplines in a year long GenEm Programme, allowing for a diverse and inclusive strategy for sustainable skills development.
Empowers’ approach to learning and development is participatory and practical in nature –GenEm participants will take part in interactive workshops, tutorials, fireside chats with industry leaders, culminating in a final group project.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow students, one of the participants Rajabu Mkaku, a student from College of Social Science at the University of Dar es Salaam commended the introduction of this training which he said would successfully build students’ capacity to withstand competition in the labour market.
