By Biruk Kassahun

Hawassa Polytechnic College in Ethiopia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with seven cluster Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, which involves in the production of skilled and competent labour force in the field of garment technology. These collages are Hawassa Tegbar’ed, Tulla, Yirgalem, Arbeguna, Aletawondo, Daye and Dilla TVET colleges. The objective of the MoU is to strengthen collaboration from outline a framework of cooperation between the parties as well as to provide guidance, define responsibilities, and establish procedures to work in close collaboration and partnership.

Participants at the MoU signing ceremony

The MoU focuses on outreach and support to non-project national TVETs. Accordingly, the major areas of cooperation include collaboration in creating capable workforce through basic skills training in garment technology, capacity building of college management and administration, facilitating short term training for persons with disability and women, capacity building on labour market and tracer study as well as exchange and sharing of knowledge and best practice programme for college managers and garment trainers.

Ms. Kalkidan Tadesse, the Project Coordinator at National Project Coordination Unit, attended the signing ceremony and gave remarks on the importance the MoU to both parties in providing competent labour force for the fast-growing need of industries.

The Writer is the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at Hawassa Polytechnic College