By Dickson Bandera
Africa Skills Week 2026 kicked off in Harare this Monday, bringing together African governments, education and training institutions, industry representatives, young people and development partners to discuss how skills development can accelerate industrialisation, employment creation and economic growth across the continent.
The five-day conference, running from October 12 to 16, is being convened by the African Union Commission and hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe under the theme, “Skills for Resilient and Competitive African Industries: From Training to Value Creation.”
The gathering seeks to strengthen the link between education, technical and vocational training and the practical skills required to build competitive African industries and create employment opportunities.
More than 1,600 delegates are expected to participate in the conference, including international participants, government officials, technical and vocational education and training institutions, private-sector players and development partners. However, a complete, verified list of countries represented at the opening was not available at the time of publication.
The conference comes amid growing calls for African countries to invest in skills that respond to changing labour-market demands, technological advancement and the continent’s industrialisation ambitions.
Discussions are expected to cover artificial intelligence, digital skills, green technologies, entrepreneurship, apprenticeships, skills financing and partnerships between employers and training institutions.
The programme also includes youth engagement activities, technical exchanges and visits to selected educational and industrial institutions to examine approaches to vocational training, innovation and industrial production.
Africa Skills Week was established as a continental platform for strengthening cooperation among African Union member states and other stakeholders on skills development and workforce readiness.
The inaugural edition was held in Accra, Ghana, from October 14 to 18, 2024, under the theme, “Skills and Jobs for the 21st Century: Quality Skills Development for Sustainable Employability in Africa.”
Ethiopia hosted the second edition at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa from October 13 to 17, 2025. Held under the theme, “Powering Africa’s Industrial Future: Skills for Innovation, Growth, and Sustainability,” the conference attracted more than 850 participants.
The 2025 meeting advanced discussions on the Continental Technical and Vocational Education and Training Strategy 2025–2034, which seeks to improve vocational education, employability and the relevance of training to labour-market requirements.
The 2026 edition is expected to build on these efforts by placing greater emphasis on translating skills development policies into practical outcomes for industries, businesses and workers.
The agenda also addresses the need to expand access to training for women, young people, persons with disabilities and underserved communities, while strengthening collaboration between governments, educators and employers.
Discussions towards the end of the conference are expected to focus on African Continental Free Trade Area value chains, industry partnerships, financing and mechanisms for implementing agreed priorities.
Proposed outcomes include a conference communiqué, a proposed Harare Declaration, an industry partnership compact and recommendations on financing skills development across Africa.
The outcomes are intended to guide future cooperation between African governments, training institutions, businesses and development partners.
As African countries seek to create employment for their growing populations and develop competitive industries, the conference provides a platform to examine how technical and vocational education can contribute to productivity, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic growth.
Africa Skills Week 2026 runs until October 16.
