Apprenticeship in Zambia

Formal apprenticeship is part of Zambia's TEVET system. A provider and a host company share responsibility under a legally binding agreement involving the provider, employer and learner. The provider supplies structured learning, curriculum and assessment; the host company provides a real work environment, mentoring, supervision and production-based practice. The learner attends training, performs agreed practical work and completes the required assessments. The National Apprenticeship Programme launched as a 2026 pilot. It provides one year of work-based training for 1,000 apprentices in mining, agriculture, tourism and energy. MoTS connects the programme with TEVETA, training institutions, host companies, employers, workers and the ILO. Placement and onboarding are separate steps, and the pilot does not establish an automatic job, stipend or employee status. Other apprenticeship arrangements may use a college or training centre together with relevant workplace practice. Institution-based programmes can combine theory, workshop practice and industrial attachment or other work-based learning. Competency-Based Education and Training, occupational standards and industry links increasingly shape the system. Availability differs by provider, year, province and trade; fields can include construction, electrical work, automotive repair, welding and fabrication, plumbing, ICT, refrigeration, fashion, carpentry, food production, cosmetology and logistics. Entry rules are programme-specific. Some lower-level trade programmes accept Grade 7 or Grade 9, open entry or equivalent preparation, while Craft programmes often expect Grade 12. Work experience and Recognition of Prior Learning can help mature entrants demonstrate existing skills. Admission normally comes from the institution first. A MoTS bursary application, where available, may require a Zambian NRC, an admission or acceptance letter and a Social Welfare assessment. Bursary rules and calls change; the published age limits from February 2022 and the exclusion of returning students are not a current universal rule. MoTS listed 13,686 TEVET bursaries for 2026, but admission and funding remain subject to places, vulnerability, priority skills and available funds. Duration is not uniform. The 2026 apprenticeship pilot lasts one year. Trade-test programmes may last about three months to one year, while many institution-based programmes have historically lasted from about ten months to two years. Craft and Diploma programmes often take at least two years and may include workplace attachment. Attendance, fees, resits and pass requirements follow the institution and programme; examples of course rules include at least 85% attendance and a 50% pass mark, but these figures are not universal. Assessment commonly combines trade theory and trade practice. TEVETA conducts trade testing and examinations, while approved providers may carry out continuous assessment under the relevant curriculum. A recognised national award requires an approved or accredited programme and awarding body. The Zambia Qualifications Authority, or ZAQA, registers, verifies and evaluates qualifications through the Zambia Qualifications Framework. Published TEVET levels commonly place a Level 3 Certificate at Trade Test level, Level 4 at Craft, Level 5 at Technician or Advanced Certificate and Diploma at Level 6. Labels such as Trade Test Level 1, 2 or 3 do not by themselves establish the same level; check the ZAQA register. Progression can move from Trade Test to Craft, Advanced or Technician training and then Diploma, depending on the programme. Recognition of Prior Learning can consider formal, non-formal and informal learning. A qualification does not automatically guarantee a job or admission to tertiary study. Informal apprenticeship usually follows a Master Craftsperson through observation, imitation and repeated practice, with a written or spoken agreement based on local practice. It generally lacks systematic curricula, quality assurance and legal regulation, and practice alone does not automatically produce a national qualification. A Trade Test or Recognition of Prior Learning may provide a way to obtain formal recognition. Fees vary by provider and programme. Published 2026 examples for Trade Test Level 1 show tuition of about ZMW 2,200 to ZMW 9,000, examination fees of about ZMW 150 to ZMW 1,800 and boarding charges from zero to about ZMW 4,800. Tuition, boarding and examination charges may be listed separately. A bursary guideline has described tuition support at 50%, 75% or 100% depending on location, programme and Treasury funding, with possible boarding support and full examination-fee support. Registration may be payable first and refundable after the award under the applicable rules, while other costs can remain. The TEVET Fund is mainly financed by a 0.5% Skills Development Levy on gross employer emoluments and supports employer-based training, equipment and systems, pre-employment and apprenticeship training, and MSME or informal-sector development. MoTS sets policy and coordinates vocational education, TEVETA regulates providers, curricula, occupational standards, assessment, certification and apprenticeship testing, and ZAQA manages qualification registration and verification. Public Trades Training Institutes, TEVETA-registered private, community and faith-based providers, and host companies may all participate. Check the provider's registration or accreditation, the exact award, assessment body, total charges, attendance rules, workplace arrangements and refund conditions before paying. Equipment, infrastructure, connectivity, provider quality and skills mismatch remain documented system constraints. Training availability, boarding, entry rules, fees and employer links vary across Zambia, so the selected provider and TEVETA should confirm current details directly.