Zambia Pilots AI Career Guidance Platform to Bridge Youth Skills Gap
The initiative was presented to World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde, with students from Evelyn Hone College demonstrating how the platform supports career planning under the Skills Training for Results and Industry-Valued Employment (STRIVE) Project.
Zambia’s Ministry of Technology and Science is piloting an artificial intelligence-powered career guidance platform, Njila.ai, to help young people identify their skills, explore career opportunities and prepare for employment.
The initiative was presented to World Bank Managing Director of Operations Anna Bjerde, with students from Evelyn Hone College demonstrating how the platform supports career planning under the Skills Training for Results and Industry-Valued Employment (STRIVE) Project.
Implemented within Zambia’s Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) system, the pilot is designed to strengthen the link between training and labour-market needs. It helps students assess their skills, identify suitable occupations, understand employer requirements and explore further training or job opportunities.
The platform also aims to provide training institutions with insights into changing labour-market demand, enabling them to adjust curricula to meet employers’ needs. Priority sectors include mining, agribusiness, tourism, energy and technology.
Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Technology and Science, Eng. Dr Brilliant Habeenzu, said the initiative seeks to increase the number of young Zambians entering productive employment with skills aligned with the country’s economic needs. He emphasised that expanding access to training must be accompanied by stronger pathways into employment.
Habeenzu also stressed that the success of Njila.ai should be measured by its ability to reduce the gap between education and employment, rather than by the technology itself. He added that feedback from students would help refine the pilot before any wider rollout.
The STRIVE Project targets more than 35,000 young people in advanced TEVET programmes and another 150,000 through trades and short courses, aiming to address shortages of mid-level technicians across key economic sectors. The Ministry also indicated that the Njila pilot is expected to reach more than 17,000 young people alongside broader investments in skills development.
Speaking on behalf of Evelyn Hone College students, Mercy Maonde said the platform was helping students better understand employment opportunities, employer expectations and career planning. She described Njila as a tool that could build confidence and give young people clearer direction as they prepare to enter the workforce.
The initiative highlights the role of collaboration between government, the World Bank, training institutions, employers and students in ensuring that vocational education produces graduates with practical, industry-relevant skills.
