On the 27th March 2025, at Royal Villas, the Eswatini Higher Education Council (ESHEC) in collaboration with ESEPARC and the Taiwan Technical Mission launched the National Labour Market Skills Anticipation Report. The event was graced by the Honourable Minister of Education and Training (MoET) who launched the report and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MoLSS). Representatives from industry, government, development partners, and training institutions were all present.
Mr. Ernest Simelane, Director of DIVT, opened the event by highlighting the successful collaboration between ESHEC, ESEPARC, and the Taiwan Technical Mission in launching the NLMSP: Skills Anticipation Report. He emphasised the importance of human capital development and stated that without skills anticipation, the country cannot progress. He noted that this demonstrates the country’s strong commitment to moving in the right direction by supporting informed decision making and programming in higher education.
Presenting the background of the study, Dr. Thabo Sacolo, the Executive Director of the Eswatini Economic Policy and Research Centre (ESEPARC), emphasised the need to catch up with the ever-changing skills landscape. The influence of rapid technological advancements, demographic shifts and environmental needs continue to impact the supply and demand of skills in the country. “As we approach the 4th and 5th industrial revolutions, we should have a clear understanding of the current landscape in Eswatini and be well-prepared to meet the demands of the future. Therefore, this study will equip our training institutions to effectively deliver the necessary skills”, he said.
Senior Research Fellow Tengetile Hlophe-Dlamini, delivered a presentation summarising the National Labour Market Skills Anticipation Report. She provided an overview of the study’s key findings explaining that the research builds on the 2021 Skills Audit, which identified gaps and mismatches in skills supply and demand. Hlophe-Dlamini elaborated “Eswatini’s history of skills development has always been tied to national priorities, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the National Development Strategy (NDS). The Government Plan of Action emphasises vocational skills as a means to drive economic growth.’’ She further highlighted the importance of understanding what skills are being supplied, what is in demand, and what is scarce. Hlophe-Dlamini emphasised that while higher education institutions may provide certain skills in the economy, the industry requires a different kind of workforce to improve productivity and remain competitive.
The report presents the gaps, shedding light on the discrepancies between the supply, demand, and absorption of skill in various sectors of the economy including ICT, agriculture, education, finance and insurance, construction, professional, scientific and technical professions, wholesale and retail, tourism, manufacturing and others. The study employed three primary methodologies: literature review, surveys, and skills anticipation modelling. Surveys targeted training institutions, graduates, and employers across private, public, NGO, and parastatal sectors.
The findings of the study revealed that most of the surveyed companies represented the construction sector followed by wholesale and retail. The study highlighted that the tourism, finance, and agriculture sectors play a significant role in employment creation, contributing more than other sectors. In addition, while some training institutions in Eswatini are transitioning towards offering Bachelor’s degrees; a substantial number of employees still hold certificate and diploma level qualifications, which influences the overall skills representation in the country.
The Mining and Energy sector in Eswatini for example, is recognised as a small yet expanding sector, driven by investments in this industry. However, there is a higher representation of male to female employees in the sector, and low to no supply of mining engineering skills. Most skills in the sector are sourced from outside the country. The recommendations of the study were to encourage an increase in investment to diversify the economy, create employment opportunities and ensure industrial growth, while investing in quality higher education provision, and expanding STEM and vocational training. The study also recommended collaboration between government, industry and higher education institutions to align investment with skills supply and demand, and provide incentives for work-based learning, while increasing opportunities for lifelong learning to reskill and upskill employees.
The Minister of Education and Training, Owen Nxumalo, also emphasised the importance of equipping the youth with the skills needed by the industry and highlighted the government’s responsibility in implementing this project. He pointed to the strategic goal of the National Development Plan, which focuses on strengthening social and human capital to promote sustainable livelihoods. Following the Minister’s speech, the National Labour Market Skills Anticipation Report was officially announced.
