THE increasing presence of Chinese companies in Zimbabwe is boosting the local job market, an economic expert has said.
Dereck Goto, an economic analyst and political commentator based in Harare, told Xinhua that the ever-increasing employment opportunities brought by Chinese firms — particularly in the mining sector — also mirrored a wider trend of economic engagement between China and Africa.
In recent years, Zimbabwe has seen a growing number of Chinese companies that continuously placed job advertisements in local media for key positions, indicating their booming interest in local talent
“In the short term, the rise in job advertisements represents the set-up phase. “These firms are hiring essential technical and operational staff to establish a local presence and address immediate project needs,” Goto said.
“Looking ahead, Chinese companies have the potential to become employers of choice,” he added, while also calling for them to invest more in localisation, skills transfer and long-term talent development.
In a separate interview, the executive director of the Southern African Research and Documentation Center, Munetsi Madakufamba, said the growth in the number of Chinese companies seeking local professionals was a combination of factors that included the growing Chinese presence in the country and a response to local employment demands.
“We do need to ensure Zimbabweans have the requisite skills to fully benefit from those opportunities. “We need a serious upgrading of local skills to maximise the potential,” Madakufamba said.
All this comes as Chinese investment in Zimbabwe has significantly increased in recent years, particularly in the key mining, agriculture and infrastructure sectors. This investment has been a major contributing factor to Zimbabwe’s economic development, with China becoming a key partner in crucial areas. — Xinhua
