The first group of 67 interns at Beluluane Industrial Park received their certificates of completion after participating in vocational training in Boane, Maputo Province. This initiative is offered in partnership with JOBA, a programme funded by the UK government focused on empowering youth and young women with skills for employment.

The Beluluane JOBA internship programme offers graduates with vocational training and technical qualifications the opportunity to gain on-the-job experience linked to their previous field of study. In light of young people finding it hard to secure a job without previous experience, its main objective is to increase their chance of employment. The internships were completed over 3-6 months and participants received a monthly stipend of 7000 MZN. Their success is highlighted by the fact that many graduates have already successfully secured permanent employment within the park.

By the end of this year, a further estimated 150 interns will benefit from the programme. This forms part of Beluluane Industrial Park’s strategic actions to develop skilled employees and grow its workforce. The park has seen significant growth since a takeover by new management at the end of 2017. With 6 significant new investments by international companies, its growth forecast now puts employment on top of their agenda.

“The new investments and expansion plans of our current occupants will allow us to create more than 1 000 new permanent jobs in the next two years,” comments Managing Director Adrian Frey. “The Beluluane JOBA Internship Programme connects our business investors with talent and to address the growing need for a more robust labour market in Mozambique.”

In 2018, the World Bank estimated that over the next decades 500 000 new jobs need to be created every year to keep up with the growth of the labour force. Beluluane Industrial Park estimates that the total number of people in formal jobs in Mozambique currently stands at 1 million only.

Commenting on the importance of developing opportunities and skills for work, Rosie Lugg Team Leader of JOBA said: “These are skills that are highly valued by employers, and will stand the graduates in very good stead in their future careers. We commend the Board and management team of Beluluane Industrial Park for what we understand may be a global innovation, and for prioritising this initiative for developing skills for young people in Mozambique.”