Polytechnics and Vocational Training in Zimbabwe: The Skills Route

A degree is not the only route to a good living, and in a country short of artisans it is often not the fastest. Vocational training in Zimbabwe runs through polytechnics, technical and vocational colleges, industrial training centres and apprenticeships.

The institutions

• Polytechnics in the major cities, offering national certificates, national diplomas and higher national diplomas across engineering, applied sciences, commerce, hospitality and applied arts.
• Technical and vocational education and training colleges and youth training centres, offering shorter, practical programmes closer to communities.
• Industrial training and apprenticeship schemes, where training happens largely on the job with block-release study.
• Private training providers, which vary enormously in quality — check accreditation before paying.

The qualification ladder

The typical progression is a national certificate, then a national diploma, then a higher national diploma, with trade testing available for those who learned largely on the job. Several universities accept holders of relevant diplomas into degree programmes with credit, so the vocational route is a path to a degree rather than a detour away from one — see our university guide.

Trades that stay in demand

• Electrical — installation, maintenance, and increasingly solar and inverter systems.
• Plumbing — water reticulation, boreholes, tanks and pumps.
• Motor mechanics and auto electrics, including diagnostics on modern vehicles.
• Welding and fabrication.
• Refrigeration and air conditioning.
• Building trades — bricklaying, carpentry, tiling, painting.
• Hospitality and catering, which travels internationally.
• ICT support and networking.
• Agricultural mechanisation and irrigation.

These skills share two qualities: they cannot be done remotely from another country, and they are needed whether the economy is growing or not.

Entry requirements

Requirements are set per programme and per institution, but the pattern is:

• National certificate — commonly Ordinary Level passes including relevant subjects, often Mathematics, English and a science for technical programmes.
• National diploma — a relevant certificate, or Advanced Level passes, depending on the programme.
• Apprenticeships — an employer's sponsorship plus the academic minimum, so the search is for the employer as much as the college.

Check the specific programme page rather than relying on general advice, and apply early because intakes fill.

Costs, funding and time

Fees are lower than university in most cases and are revised regularly, so take current figures from the institution. Apprenticeships pay a training allowance while you learn, which makes them the most financially sensible route for many families. Employer sponsorship, government schemes and family support are the usual funding sources.

Where it leads

• Employment with mines, manufacturers, utilities, construction firms and service companies.
• Self-employment. Most established artisans eventually work for themselves; see starting a small business.
• Work abroad. Recognised trade qualifications and demonstrable experience travel well, though every destination has its own licensing and recognition process — verify it before paying any agent.
• Further study, through diploma-to-degree progression.

Choosing well

1. Confirm the institution and programme are accredited.
2. Ask what proportion of the programme is practical, and see the workshops before enrolling.
3. Ask where recent graduates went — a good college answers immediately.
4. Check that the equipment you train on resembles what employers actually use.
5. Be wary of any provider advertising only on social media with no physical premises.

Related: finding a job. More guides on the guides page.