Youth Unemployment Remains a Growing Concern in Zambia
Youth unemployment continues to be one of Zambia’s biggest challenges, leaving thousands of qualified and talented young people struggling to find meaningful opportunities despite their education and skills.Across the country, many graduates say they spend months searching for internships, only to discover that most of the available positions are unpaid.
While they often accept these opportunities in the hope of gaining experience, many cannot afford the cost of transport, meals, and other daily expenses without an income.Speaking anonymously, several young people described the situation as unfair.”
After completing our studies, we are expected to work for free just to gain experience. Yet when we apply for permanent jobs, employers ask for two or even four years of experience.
How are young people expected to achieve that if the only opportunities available are unpaid?” one graduate said.Others say the financial burden of unpaid internships forces many young people to abandon the search altogether, leaving them unemployed despite having the qualifications and willingness to work.The concerns have sparked renewed calls for practical youth empowerment initiatives.
Many believe Zambia must invest more in skills development, entrepreneurship, business financing, paid internships, and job creation if it is to tackle rising youth unemployment.Chifubu Constituency is one example where leaders have proposed strengthening partnerships with institutions such as the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC), the Ministry of Youth, cooperatives, small and medium enterprises, and the private sector to create opportunities for young people through innovation hubs, business funding and skills development.
As Zambia continues to grapple with unemployment, many believe that investing in its young people is no longer a choice but a necessity. A country can not fully develop while a large portion of its youth remains unemployed and unable to realise its potential.
By Namakau Lishebo
