The agreements were signed with the Rwanda Garage Association (RGA), Rwanda Wood Value Chain Association (RWVCA), Rwanda Tailors Association (RTA) and Rwanda Hospitality Association (RHA) during a ceremony held at RTB offices in Kigali on September 29, 2026.
Supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Rwanda and Never Again Rwanda, these partnerships are part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen Rwanda’s national Dual TVET system by bringing government, TVET institutions and industry together and expanding opportunities for students to complement classroom learning with practical, structured experience in real workplaces.
The agreements provide for Dual TVET workplace placements, internships, apprenticeships, industrial attachments and other structured workplace-learning opportunities.
Industry associations will help mobilise suitable businesses, identify workplace mentors and in-company instructors, and support practical training.
The four associations collectively represent more than 1,680 businesses, in addition to around 1,500 individual tailors. RGA represents 332 garages, RWVCA brings together 300 companies, RTA represents 350 companies and RHA represents between 700 and 800 businesses.
RTB Director General Eng. Paul Umukunzi said the agreements would help address the gap that previously existed between TVET institutions and the private sector, which sometimes affected students when they entered the labour market.
“These agreements aim to ensure that students are trained based on the needs of the labour market. Private-sector companies will follow students from the time they join school so that, when they reach the stage of workplace learning, the companies will receive students they know and whose training they have contributed to,” he said.
The partnerships will also give industry a stronger role in identifying priority skills, occupational analysis, curriculum development and review, training delivery, assessment and quality assurance.
Deputy Chairperson of the Rwanda Garage Association, Niyitegeka Jean Eric, said some students had previously struggled to find suitable places for workplace training, particularly in larger companies.
“We are pleased that this will now be given a clear framework so that every student can undertake workplace learning in an environment that matches the skills they are pursuing,” he said.
Opportunities for experienced workers
The agreements will also benefit people already working in the private sector who have practical skills and experience but lack formal qualifications.
Umukunzi said RTB would assess their existing competencies through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and provide certification to those who meet the required standards.
“We have many Rwandans working in private companies who have different skills and are active in the labour market but do not have formal qualifications. Through these agreements, we will assess the skills they have and provide them with qualifications corresponding to those skills,” he said.
RWVCA Chairperson Abdu Karemera said certification could help experienced workers gain confidence in their professions and create their own businesses.
The agreements also provide for short courses, upskilling and reskilling to help workers adapt to new technologies and changing industry requirements.
RTB said it will continue engaging other industry associations and private-sector actors to expand workplace learning opportunities to more sectors and learners across Rwanda.
Leave a Reply