The Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute (ALLPI) Executive Director (ED), Prof. Mwinyikione Mwinyihija, the Advisor to the ED’s Office Prof. Mekonnen Hailemariam, in common with Mr. Dhanraj Conhye, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Business, Enterprises and Cooperatives (MoBEC) and Mr. Ravin Rampersad, Chief Executive Officer, SME Mauritius Ltd visited the “Mauritius Institute of Training and Development” and “Polythechnics Mauritius” on May 16 and 17, 2019 and held discussions with the Institutes top management, on the possibilities of starting Vocational and Diploma level Trainings in Leather Technology.
The Mauritius leather value chain strategy 2019-2023 that was launched on May 5, 2019, identified skilled manpower problem due to lack of training facility as the top ranked constraint for leather sector development in Mauritius.
The discussions with the two training Institutions top management were very productive and it was agreed for ALLPI to share its regionally harmonized curricula for both vocational and diploma level trainings so that the institutions could further review and tailor-make it to fit to the Mauritius specific situation. The Polytechnics Mauritius CEO Mr. Yamal MATABUDUL indicated the possibility of starting the training programs in his institution within 6-8 months’ time period.
In a separate discussion that was held at SME Mauritius head office with the Deputy Permanent Secretary of MoBEC and SME Mauritius Ltd CEO, ALLPI shared its specialized shot term training modules (21 in number) for possible immediate start of training activities. The SME Mauritius Ltd identified the module on “Footwear Design, Pattern Making and Assembling” as priority training intervention that will be started in June 2019. ALLPI will avail expert that will deliver the training while MoBEC and SME Mauritius Ltd will make all the necessary arrangements of resources and inputs for the training.
The ALLPI delegation, MoBEC Deputy Permanent Secretary and SME Mauritius CEO also made a courtesy visit to the Mauritius Research Council (MRC) to discuss on the status of the project proposal entitled “SME Mauritius Ltd/MRC Pole of innovation for Development of the Leather Value Chain” that was jointly developed and submitted for possible Mauritius Research Council Pole of Innovation Grant Scheme (PoIGS) financial support. From the discussion it was agreed to make some amendments to the proposal as per the comments made by the MRC and to resubmit for MRC further review.