By Biruk Kassahun

Sidama Regional State TVET, Science and Technology Bureau has accredited Hawassa Polytechnic College to provide short-term training in ten priority areas in textile and garment sector. The Bureau assigns experts and reviewed all necessary documents and procedures in placed during the development of demand-driven programs by the college.

Initially, the college established a team of experts comprising eleven members from respective departments, human resource development section, sector heads and project implementation unit.

The team conducted labour market study with the objective of identifying skills gaps and training needed to prepare demand driven short term training programmes that respond to the demands of the labour market. Based on the study results, the team developed ten short-term programmes.

Finally, the college hosted a program validation workshop comprising EASTRIP Industry Advisory Board members, College management, representatives from Hawassa city and Sidama region TVET Bureau, Cluster college deans and other stakeholders.

During the workshop, the industry approved all programs that were developed and the college requested Sidama Regional State TVET, Science and Technology Bureau to accredit the programmes accordingly. Subsequently, the regional Bureau accredited five short-term programmes in Textile Technology Priority Sector (Weaving Machine Operation, Winding Machine Operation, Knitting Machine Operation, Weaving Process Quality Control and Weaving Operation Supervision) and five in Garment Technology Priority Sector (Sewing Operation, Machine Maintenance, Production Supervision, Quality Controller and Fabric Cutting).

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