Apprenticeship programme resumes after COVID-19 closure

Training institutions in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar resume with Apprenticeship Programme after nation-wide COVID-19 closures.

News | 01 July 2020
Over 200 youth from Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar have resumed with the Apprenticeship Programme in Hospitality after more than two months away due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National College of Tourism (NCT) campuses in the Mainland opened on 1 June 2020 while The State University of Zanzibar Institute of Tourism (SUZA IoT), opened its doors on 22 June after nationwide closures of all educational institutions on the 15 April 2020.

NCT Arusha campus manager Ms Kemirembe Kibogoyo says her top priority is making sure returning apprentices have adequate knowledge on COVID-19 prevention, sanitizers, and protective masks and there are wash stations at all locations. “The COVID protection training is not a once off training and we are repeating regular trainings to make sure all students are aware of the new regulations.”


The institutions’ roles in training the apprentices is emphasised as all apprentices have returned to the colleges instead of their hotel attachments were 75 per cent of training takes place. “The suspension of training disrupted the training calendar greatly. It occurred while some students were midway through their theory training at the college, but it also affected those who were in the middle of industry training at the hotels,” says Training Coordinator for the Dar es Salaam campus Mr Ongoso Mwita.

NCT and SUZA IoT now have to come up with creative solutions to give the apprentices the holistic training the programme promises. “We are not sure when the apprentices can return to the field as most hotels and resorts are not yet fully operational. So it is our job to make sure that the returning apprentices receive both theoretical and the best possible practical training we can give them, “ says SUZA IoT Director Dr Aley Nassor.


NCT is currently using its facilities (practical training hotel rooms, on sight restaurant and state of the art kitchens to give the Apprentices as much practical training as possible. SUZA IoT plans to use its industry partners to provide in-house practical training for the apprentices for intensive practical training.
“In additional to the theoretical training we will have an intensive two week practical training provided by key industry professionals such as chefs, housekeeping supervisors and managers from our industry partners who will act as visiting instructors, says Dr Nassor.

With the COVID 19 pandemic still a global threat, many sectors, particularly tourism and hospitality are still under threat. The ILO Skills programme is working to help mitigate the short and long-term effects of the pandemic for the Apprenticeship programme in the hotel/hospitality. One key area of focus in the development of an online Apprenticeship training platform which would also add to the programme’s sustainability and help reach a wider target of beneficiaries post-COVID-19.

The Apprenticeship Programme is funded by the government of Norway and is part of ILO’s Skills and Employability Branch, which aims to provide technical assistance to Tanzania’s social partners to develop and implement skills development through institutionalized quality apprenticeships.