Speaking as Guest of Honour during a validation workshop in Lilongwe under the British Council-implemented, European Union funded Zantchito Skills for Jobs Technical Assistance Project, Director of Technical and Vocational Training in the Ministry of Labour, Richard Chirwa underscored the importance of the initiative. He described SSCs as a practical solution to the persistent concerns raised by the private sector regarding the gap between graduates’ skills and industry expectations.
“Government fully supports this initiative as it offers a viable pathway to bridge the mismatch between what our technical colleges produce and what industry requires,” said Chirwa. “A private sector-led approach is critical to ensuring that training remains relevant, demand-driven, and responsive to the evolving needs of the economy.”
He further called on industry players to take a leading role in the councils, stressing that their ownership and active participation would be essential for the success and sustainability of the SSCs.
Speaking on behalf of the British Council, the Zantchito Skills for Jobs Technical Assistance project, Deputy Team Leader, Dick Maganga emphasised that the SSC initiative should be private sector led as the industry has specific skills required to be supplied from training institutions.
“The establishment of Sector Skills Councils is one of the key recommendations from the Analysis of the TEVET Ecosystem report,” said Maganga. “The goal is to strengthen Malawi’s TEVET system by fostering closer collaboration between training institutions and industry, ultimately improving employability outcomes for graduates.”
The validation workshop brought together stakeholders from government, industry, and training institutions to review and consolidate findings from earlier consultations on the establishment of SSCs. Participants reaffirmed the need for structured, industry-led platforms to guide skills development in priority sectors aligned to Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs): Tourism, Agricultural Mechanisation, Marine Transport, and Renewable Energy.
Prior to the validation stage, the project consultants conducted extensive consultations with public and private sector players. These engagements focused on four key thematic areas: the functions of SSCs, membership and governance structures, legal status, as well as funding and sustainability mechanisms. The discussions provided critical insights into how the councils can be designed to ensure effectiveness, inclusivity, and long-term impact.
Experiences from other countries demonstrate the value of such industry-led bodies in strengthening workforce development systems. Within the European Union, there is strong qualitative evidence that SSCs improve coordination and promote shift from supply-driven to more demand-driven Vocational Training systems.
In South Africa, Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) play a central role in coordinating skills development across sectors. In United Kingdom, Sector Skills Councils have long guided workforce planning and training standards, while India has successfully implemented industry-led councils under the National Skill Development Corporation to enhance the quality and relevance of vocational training.
As Malawi moves toward establishing its own SSCs by the end of the year, stakeholders remain optimistic that the initiative will improve coordination between training institutions and industry, enhance curriculum relevance, and ensure that graduates are better equipped with skills that meet the demands of the modern labour market.
The Zantchito Skills for Jobs Project continues to support Malawi’s journey toward a more inclusive, responsive, and industry-aligned TEVET system that contributes meaningfully to national development.
