The Workplace Learning Support Programme – “IGIRA KU MURIMO” celebrates mass hiring of dual training graduates in tailoring by C&D PRODUCTS/PINK MANGO, one of leading garment factories in Rwanda. During the Job Fair and Business Ideation held on 30th June 2021 to link the programme graduates with potential employers or motivate them to create their own businesses, 100 graduates were promised to join thousands of staff working for a modern garment factory in Kigali Special Economic Zone to produce garments for both domestic and export market.

The first group of 36 graduates was hosted on 20^th October 2021 to assess their tailoring skills in order to identify the production segment they fit in. Talking with the Human Resource Manager of C&D PRODUCTS/PINK MANGO, Evelyne RYEZEMBERE, she appreciated the competences of dual training graduates and expressed her expectations to contribute to the company’s target to deliver customers’ orders on time.

“C&D PRODUCTS/PINK MANGO is expected to provide 7,500 jobs to Rwandans and cumulative export earnings of US$ 20 million over the next five years. This requires competent staff who really contribute to the increase of the company’s production. We used to hire tailors from informal training system and take time to build their capacity through an intensive 2-week training before engaging them in production chain. After testing the competency level of “IGIRA KU MURIMO” programme graduates, I am delighted to testify that I automatically admitted them to join the production team because I observed that they are competent to comply with our production standards,” said Evelyne.

The graduates hired will be governed by the labour law into force in Rwanda - what makes their employment status secure. C&D PRODUCTS/PINK MANGO pledges to hire more graduates in tailoring. Further job opportunities in other companies are expected for graduates in other trades supported by the programme namely food processing and beauty.

This recruitment constitutes the programme achievement against the target to get at least 100 graduates employed or self-employed among 375 certified graduates at the end of the programme in December 2021. As of now, the programme counts 121 dual training graduates in the 1^st intake and 164 apprentices of the 2^nd intake completed the training in May 2021. It is expected that the 3^rd intake of 178 apprentices ends the training in November 2021.

Under the support of Belgian Development Cooperation (DGD) through APEFE, the Workplace Learning Support Programme – IGIRA KU MURIMO, which is the pilot phase of the Workplace Learning Policy from 2017 to 2021; is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA) and the Private Sector Federation (PSF) in collaboration with different stakeholders. The programme aims at supporting the role of the private sector and training providers in the implementation of dual training in Rwanda to ensure that youth employability skills are boosted to contribute to Rwanda economic growth.