The deputy minister of, Prime Minister’s Office (Labour, Youth, Employment, and Persons with Disability) Patrobasi Katambi has stressed on the importance of manpower development by assuring the right cadre of professionals.

He was speaking yesterday in a graduation ceremony for 10 students from different higher learning institutions who graduated from an 18 months “Absa Leaders in the Making Graduate Engagement” Program aimed at creating an abundance of talent within the bank. 

‘This program is an exemplary contribution to manpower development in the country, critical for development, especially in the fast-changing workplace environments that demand graduates add on and fine-tune their skills’, said Katambi.

The programme is also a blend of learning and development activities aimed at transforming graduates into high performing and skilled professionals within a short period of time.

“Skill imparting to would-be employees is a long and costly endeavor, yet measured by the graduates we are witnessing today, it is worth the investment,” he said

The graduate engagement program aligns with the purpose of establishing this bank, which is Empowering Africa and Tanzania’s tomorrow, together one story at a time, accelerated by the bank’s new brand promise,” said Katambi.

The deputy minister explained that the program also helps to create academy-industry linkages, a crucial issue as employers are always concerned about the employability of graduates due to their entry-level qualifications that sometimes call for on-the-job training.

Absa Bank Tanzania Managing Director Obedi Laiser said, ‘In our commitment to empower Africa and Tanzania’s tomorrow together, one story at a time, we have invested in this program as a testament to our dedication to nurturing the next generation of leaders”. 

Through 12 months of intensive training and mentorship, facilitated by professionals, the graduates have been equipped with the skills and tools necessary to thrive in their roles and contribute meaningfully to our organization, he said. 

Laiser added, ‘we believe in the power of individual stories. Each graduate today represents a unique narrative, and we are honored to be a part of their journey’.

“Everyone has their own story, graduates have their stories, our customers have their stories, women, youth, entrepreneurs, businesspeople, and even our nation has its own stories,” Laiser said. 

“We also recognize its sustainability and with resources invested and a commitment to ongoing development, we are confident in its ability to shape the future our organization, the industry and the country as a whole.”