MANZINI – The Eswatini College of Technology (ECOT) has challenged industry to become an active partner in training graduates, warning that the mismatch between qualifications produced by institutions and employers’ requirements threatens the country’s skills development ambitions.
Principal Dr Sicelo Kunene said training institutions could not independently address the changing demands of the labour market, calling for stronger collaboration between government, employers, industry and development partners.
He was speaking during the inaugural Lutsi Graduation Indaba, held at the college’s boardroom ahead of its 24th Graduation Ceremony, Conferment and Awards of Diplomas and Certificates, scheduled for Friday at the institution’s premises.
Engagement
The engagement was attended by the Minister for Education and Training and other key stakeholders, including the Construction Industry Council (CIC), represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Maqhawe K. Mnisi.
Kunene said the economy was experiencing rapid industrial and technological changes, increasing the demand for new skills while exposing weaknesses in the relationship between training institutions and employers.
He challenged stakeholders to consider whether institutions were preparing students for jobs that actually existed, whether curricula reflected technological developments and whether employers were sufficiently involved in shaping training programmes.
“Industry should not only be a consumer of graduates. Industry must also be a partner in producing them,” he said.
He said such partnerships should include curriculum development, identifying skills gaps, providing industrial attachments, exposing students to workplace environments and creating employment pathways.
Kunene said ECOT offered programmes in engineering, construction, information and communication technology, automotive studies, hospitality and business, which could contribute to national development and private sector productivity.
He also highlighted the institution’s growing investment in digital innovation, revealing that its ICT students were developing practical solutions, including an institutional website, server, matric tracking application and digital admissions and registration application.
Through its Artificial Intelligence Hub, he said, ECOT was positioning itself to participate in emerging technologies.
However, he maintained that the institution required industry support, government participation and continued investment from development partners to realise its ambitions.
Pledged
Meanwhile, CIC has pledged to strengthen its partnership with ECOT, particularly in addressing shortages of specialised engineering, technical and artisan skills within the construction industry.
Mnisi said construction was increasingly embracing digital technologies, including drones, digital management systems and smart infrastructure, requiring training institutions to align their curricula with emerging industry demands.
He identified digital construction, project management, advanced technical competencies and workplace readiness as priority areas.
Mnisi disclosed that CIC had already supported ECOT through the provision of WinQS software for quantity surveyors, adding that the council intended to deepen its involvement in the institution’s transformation.
He also announced that CIC was establishing a Construction Industry Committee to bring together stakeholders to identify challenges and develop a roadmap for addressing skills shortages.
“We are committing as a council to say we will be working with ECOT going forward,” he said.
Beyond training, Mnisi said CIC wanted to strengthen the connection between graduates and employers through internships, workplace learning, mentorship and professional development.
He revealed that the council had, through a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), supported a programme connecting graduates with construction and consultancy firms, with some beneficiaries subsequently securing permanent employment.
National hub
CIC also wants ECOT to become a national hub for construction innovation, particularly in affordable housing, alternative building materials, construction waste recycling and artificial intelligence-enabled construction management.
Mnisi further advocated for a shift towards a circular construction economy, which promotes resource efficiency, material recovery, recycling and reuse instead of the traditional build, use and dispose model.
He said this transition presented opportunities for graduates to develop sustainable construction solutions, reduce waste and explore entrepreneurship.
“The future belongs to professionals who combine technical excellence with innovation, digital capability and sustainability,” he said.
