RTB graces 230 graduates of a 9-month Industrial-Based Training Program in tourism and hospitality sector

The first cohort of 230 young Rwandans have graduated from the nine months of Industrial-Based Training program, initiated by the Government of Rwanda through Rwanda TVET Board (RTB), in culinary arts, food and beverage operations, housekeeping, front office and tourism operations.

The graduation ceremony took place on May 10, 2024 in the City of Kigali. The Industrial-Based Training program is part of the agreements between the Government of Rwanda and the European Union through the Rwanda TVET Board in the Ubukerarugendo Imbere Project, which aims to foster private sector development.

These young ladies and gentlemen have been hosted in different hotels and tour companies all over the country.

Some of the trainees have secured jobs, according to the Director General of Rwanda TVET Board, Dipl. Eng. Paul Umukunzi.

“As we train people, develop skills, whatever we do, our intention is to secure jobs for our youth. We want to congratulate some of them who managed to be employed and to encourage the rest of them to keep on working hard towards jobs as well. This program aims at boosting the tourism and hospitality sector by uplifting service delivery to the international standards and equipping youth with skills that help them secure jobs in a short time,” he said.

“On our side the fact that we have seen the benefit of industrial-based training, we are starting the other cohort of capacity building for more young Rwandans. We have another 250 who are going to the same type of skills development. By doing this we are trying to eradicate unemployment among our youth,” he emphasized.

The graduates who were awarded with certificates of competences, said the nine months training has been a unique experience in their life because they haven’t only learnt technical skills but also new technologies that are necessary in the workplace.

Mugabo Olivier is working at the Retreat by Heaven Hotel that retained him and gave him a job after the training program.

He said, “I have been employed in the bakery section in this hotel. Before the training started, I had finished secondary studies in culinary arts but I didn’t get any job.”

Iradukunda Marie Louise went on to say, “I was trained as a waitress at Kivu Peace View Hotel located in Rubavu District. This training has been of great value to me because I had spent three years after secondary studies without securing any job. Now I have at least a casual job and I hope I will secure a good one with acquired skills.”

Yves Shirimpumu, the chief of Rwanda Chamber of Tourism within Rwanda Private Sector Federation said “such training contributes in boosting the tourism and hospitality sector because as it is well known in service delivery in Rwanda, the private sector has a long way to go. The program equipped the trainees with skills that enable them to improve something in the workplace. Most of the time people finish secondary school without needed skills.”

Rose Baguma, Director General of education Policy and Analysis at the Ministry of Education, said the government of Rwanda is committed to support initiatives that promote workplace learning, skills acquisition and youth empowerment.

“To the graduates, this is your time, go out there, make a difference, show that it is not just acquiring skills but putting into practice wherever you will be in the workplace,” she said.

Apart from Tourism and Hospitality sector, so many other sectors will be worked on in improving skills, she assured.

Zakaria Sbitri, Team Leader for Education, Digitalization, Health and Cities at EU in Rwanda, stated that the graduates’ commitment to the program is not only commendable but also pivotal for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector, as they are graduating with improved skills.