MPOLONJENI – Government cannot employ every graduate, making entrepreneurship the most sustainable solution to youth unemployment.
Dlamini made the remarks yesterday while officially launching the sixth National Career Expo at Mbulungi Inkhundla in Mpolonjeni. The nationwide initiative will travel to seven destinations as part of government’s efforts to equip young people with career guidance, skills and entrepreneurial opportunities.
He said the expo supported government’s vision of building a prosperous, self-reliant and globally competitive Eswatini through a skilled and innovative workforce.
The Prime Minister said the initiative was aligned with the Nkwe Programme of Action, which prioritised human capital development as a key driver of sustainable economic growth and national prosperity.
Speaking under this year’s theme, ‘Creating Opportunities for Entrepreneurial Innovation and Career Growth’, Dlamini said Eswatini could no longer rely solely on traditional employment.
He said youth unemployment remained one of the country’s greatest challenges, despite recent improvements.
“About 72 per cent of the population is under the age of 35, while youth unemployment stands at approximately 52.2 per cent, down from about 56 per cent in recent years,” he said.
He said those figures represented untapped potential and deferred dreams and called for urgent collective action.
Dlamini said government was changing the long-standing mindset that education should only prepare graduates to seek jobs.
“For too long, the traditional mindset has been to graduate and look for employment. Government is shifting this paradigm,” he said.
He said reforms in the education sector were aimed at nurturing talent, strengthening 21st-century skills and improving global competitiveness.
Addressing young people, the Prime Minister encouraged them to become entrepreneurs instead of waiting for employment opportunities.
“We want to turn our job seekers into job creators,” he said.
He urged the youth to identify gaps in local markets, embrace innovation and harness technology to develop businesses capable of competing globally.
According to Dlamini, sustainable career growth should be built on informed educational choices, STEM and 21st-century skills, as well as financial and business literacy.
He further said His Majesty King Mswati III had provided a clear vision for youth empowerment and economic transformation.
“The Government will continue creating a business-ready environment through education reforms, expanded vocational infrastructure and increased youth funding,” he said.
The Prime Minister commended the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, tertiary institutions, financial institutions and industry partners for organising the decentralised career expo.
“By bringing career guidance directly to communities, we ensure no young person is left behind,” he said.
He also called on the private sector to continue supporting young people through internships, mentorship programmes and seed funding.
“The sustainable growth of Eswatini depends on investing in local talent,” he said.
Encouraging attendees to take advantage of the exhibition, Dlamini described the expo as a golden gateway.
“Ask questions, network and take control of your career journey,” he urged.
Officially launching the expo, he expressed hope that it would inspire innovation and produce entrepreneurs, professionals and leaders who would help build the country.
Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Security Phila Buthelezi thanked the Prime Minister for accepting the invitation despite his busy schedule.
“You have been the Prime Minister Emaswati have seen and touched by hand,” said Buthelezi.
He revealed that Dlamini had specifically requested that the event be held in a rural community instead of an urban centre.
“Last year it was Nhlambeni; this year it is Mpolonjeni,” he said.
Buthelezi thanked all stakeholders and participants for making the launch successful and encouraged members of the public to visit the exhibition stalls.
“Please visit the stalls,” he appealed.
He also announced that the Prime Minister had donated E500 to the poets who performed and E1 000 towards ingadla for learners.
“This is to encourage the pupils to keep up the good work,” he said.
…Entrepreneurial mindset vital for tomorrow’s workforce
MPOLONJENI – Young people must acquire entrepreneurial, digital and problem-solving skills to succeed in a rapidly changing labour market.
The ministry’s Under Secretary for Schools Management, Lungelo Nhlengetfwa, made the remarks while representing Minister of Education and Training Owen Nxumalo during the launch of the 2026 Eswatini National Career Expo at Mpolonjeni Inkhundla, Mpolonjeni.
Addressing government officials, education stakeholders, industry representatives and pupils, Nhlengetfwa said this year’s theme, ‘Creating Opportunities for Entrepreneurial Innovation and Career Growth’, reflected the country’s urgent need to equip young people with the knowledge and skills required to create employment rather than depend solely on existing jobs.
“The theme is both relevant and inspiring,” he said.
He noted that thousands of young people completed their education every year with aspirations of building successful careers, but many remained uncertain about the opportunities available to them.
“That is why the National Career Expo is so important,” he said.
According to Nhlengetfwa, the expo was far more than a display of institutions and organisations.
“It exposes young people to opportunities they may never have known existed and allows them to engage directly with universities, tertiary institutions, employers, entrepreneurs, professional bodies and training providers,” he said.
He said a single interaction at the expo could have a lasting impact on a young person’s future, adding that one conversation could influence an entire career.
“One demonstration could inspire a business idea, while one interaction with an employer could open the door to an internship, apprenticeship, scholarship or future employment,” he said.
The under secretary said the world of work was evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancement and emerging industries.
“Digital technologies, artificial intelligence, automation, renewable energy and the green economy are creating entirely new careers while transforming traditional occupations,” he said.
He said these changes required the country’s education system to continuously adapt to meet labour market demands.
“Our education system must continue to evolve to ensure graduates possess the skills needed for today’s labour market and the jobs of tomorrow,” he said.
Nhlengetfwa said the Ministry of Education and Training remained committed to producing graduates who were competent, innovative, adaptable and entrepreneurial.
He said the ministry continued strengthening programmes in engineering, information and communication technology (ICT), agriculture, construction, hospitality, renewable energy, fashion and textiles, business development and other sectors essential for economic growth.
However, he stressed that qualifications alone were no longer sufficient, adding that young people must develop problem-solving skills, creativity, communication, teamwork, resilience, digital literacy and, above all, an entrepreneurial mindset.
“These are the qualities employers seek and the qualities that create successful entrepreneurs,” he said.
Nhlengetfwa described youth empowerment as one of the greatest challenges facing both government and educational institutions, emphasizing that addressing this challenge requires us to rethink how we prepare young people for life after school.
“Career guidance, practical training, entrepreneurship education, internships, apprenticeships and strong partnerships with industry are no longer optional. They are essential,” he said.
He said the National Career Expo served as a critical bridge between education and employment, adding that it brings education providers closer to employers, allows industry to communicate the skills they require and enables institutions to align their programmes with labour market demands.
“Most importantly, it gives our young people hope by showing them there are many pathways to success,” he said.
Nhlengetfwa encouraged learners to recognise that every profession played an important role in national development, mentioning that success is not defined by one profession or one qualification.
“Whether one becomes an engineer, artisan, teacher, nurse, software developer, electrician, farmer, chef, fashion designer or entrepreneur, every career contributes to the development of our country,” he said.
He further said entrepreneurship remained one of the strongest drivers of economic growth, innovation and job creation, emphasizing that the young people possess remarkable and untapped potential.
“What they often need is exposure, mentorship, skills, confidence and access to opportunities. This expo provides exactly that,” he said.
He added that the event encouraged young people to think creatively and view challenges as business opportunities, adding that it encourages young people to think differently, develop innovative solutions and build businesses that create employment for themselves and others.
“Every successful business in Eswatini began with an idea,” he said.
Nhlengetfwa urged participants to leave the expo believing they could become employers rather than job seekers.
“We want our young people to believe their ideas matter and that they too can become employers rather than job seekers,” he said.
Turning to the private sector, he thanked businesses for supporting skills development initiatives; he mentioned that their participation is valuable because education cannot succeed in isolation.
“We rely on your expertise to guide curriculum development, provide workplace learning opportunities, offer internships and apprenticeships, mentor learners and ultimately absorb skilled graduates into the labour market,” he said.
He also acknowledged development partners for supporting youth empowerment programmes across the country.
