Volvo CE establishes Education Project for Technicians in Africa

The new education program established by Volvo Construction Equipment and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency addresses the shortage of skilled technicians in Africa, as International Mining reports.

Volvo CE says it will take a hands-on approach with a project at Selam Technical and Vocational College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, providing new equipment, training materials, teacher training, ongoing curriculum development and apprenticeship opportunities for students. The company states: “A lack of well-trained machine technicians is a serious problem in much of Africa and has meant that equipment dealers operating in countries like Ethiopia are often forced to hire expatriate technicians, rather than invest in local workers who would remain in the country permanently – and keep more money in the local economy. The few technicians who are local often have had inadequate training, as many technical schools in these countries use outmoded equipment – sometimes dating back to the 1970s or 1980s.