Twenty young Mozambicans will benefit from a training and professional mobility program that will enable them to obtain welding certifications and gain access to job opportunities in Portugal, announced Paulo Chibanga, president of the Industrial Association of Mozambique (AIMO), on Monday, June 22.
The initiative was launched as part of the 4th General Assembly and International Conference of the Pan-African Welding Federation (TWF), taking place June 22–24 in Maputo under the theme “Exploring Sustainable Manufacturing in Africa.”
According to Chibanga, the program is the result of a partnership between the Center for Vocational Training in Metallurgy and Mechanics (CFPM), the Portuguese company CSWind, and entities supported by the Government of Portugal, establishing a direct link between vocational training, international certification, and entry into the job market.
“About 20 Mozambicans will begin the course today at the Center for Training in Metallurgy and Mechanics, with job openings already available in Portugal,” he said.
According to the official, participants will first attend a three-month training program in Mozambique, followed by a month of specialized training in Portugal, before entering the job market.
The launch of the program coincided with the official establishment of TWF Mozambique, an organization whose goal is to strengthen cooperation among industry, training institutions, and professionals in the welding sector.
In his remarks during the conference’s opening ceremony, Paulo Chibanga argued that Africa is undergoing a decisive phase of economic transformation driven by investments in the energy, mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, and new technologies sectors, but he cautioned that the success of this transformation will depend on the ability to develop technical and industrial skills.
“These opportunities will only have a truly transformative impact if we invest in our people, strengthen our companies, and ensure an ever-greater participation of Mozambicans in the value chains of major projects,” he stated.
The president of AIMO emphasized that welding plays a strategic role in this process, as it is an essential skill for virtually all industrial, energy, and infrastructure projects currently under development on the continent.
For Chibanga, training qualified welders is particularly important at a time when the country is preparing for new phases of its natural gas projects and seeking to increase national participation in the manufacturing and construction activities associated with these major investments.
“We would like to ensure that we have qualified Mozambican welders actively participating in these major projects,” he emphasized.
The conference brings together representatives from industry, universities, training centers, and experts from various African countries to discuss issues related to skills, science, innovation, sustainability, and industrial policy.
Alongside the meeting, the African Welding Championship is taking place, featuring competitors from Mozambique, Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Cape Verde. The next edition of the competition is scheduled to take place in Gabon.
Source: Diário Económico
