On 23rd May, 2025, CAMCO College in Zambia held its 2025 Graduation Ceremony and Employment Expo at the Nakatindi Hall, Lusaka City Council Civic Centre. The event, themed “Skills lead Development, CAMCO College Shapes Your Future”, brought together high-level officials in the Zambian political sphere, representatives of Chinese-funded enterprises, representatives of the education sector and more than 280 teachers and students to jointly witness the 2025 graduates embarking on a new career journey, highlighting the school's purpose of "building the institution on skills and prioritizing employment".
Government, enterprises, and educational institutions came together to celebrate the event and witness the fruitful results of education
The ceremony commenced with a solemn signing ceremony. Government representatives including the Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Technology and Science, and the Director General of TEVETA (Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority) Zambia, along with executives from over 10 leading enterprises in the industry, such as CNBM (Zambia), WEICHAI (Zambia), Hexing Technology, TIM Motors Zambia Limited, Expedition Motors (FAW), CAMCO Motors, Sikale Wood, Chengtun Photovoltaic, KEDA Ceramics, and Vanguard Investment Zambia Limited, as well as heads of the Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia and Chinese International School in Zambia, gathered at the scene.
Following the national anthems of Zambia and China, Mr. Yu Xujiao, Principal of CAMCO College, delivered an opening speech. He thanked all the guests for coming, congratulated the graduates, and emphasized: "The college has always been guided by the needs of enterprises. This event is not only an acceptance of achievements, but also a bridge between graduates and the job market".
At the ceremony, CAMCO College and Hexing Technology signed a College-Enterprise Cooperation Agreement for the joint development of Solar Technology Training Program, and the college was donated with solar cells, inverters and other practical training equipment. Mr. Zhang Zhiyi, Marketing Director for Southeastern Africa of Hexing Technology, stated that both parties agreed to collaboratively build the curriculum system, textbook development, and teacher team, and to provide scholarships for students. The school-enterprise cooperation will cultivate 'Immediate Combat Capability' talents for the new energy industry.
Representatives of enterprises such as CNBM (Zambia) and WEICHAI (Zambia) also expressed that they would deepen the direct "training-employment" cooperation with CAMCO College. Mr. Li Tie, Chairman of CAMCO Group, delivered a speech, mentioned that thanks to the strategic cooperation with Shandong Deren sifang Talents Development Group Co., Ltd. and Shandong Sifang Technician College, a new-type technical college integrating international vocational education experience with local practical needs has been jointly established. Graduates not only master theoretical knowledge but also possess practical skills in various fields such as agriculture, heavy machinery, and solar energy. The college takes pride in being able to keep pace with and accompany Zambia's development.
Honoring excellence with glory, together towards a promising future
A total of 238 students successfully obtained their graduation certificates, of which 45 were awarded the titles of “Technical Pacesetter”, “Outstanding Class Leader” and “Model of Moral Character and Civility”, and the engineering vehicle maintenance class was awarded the honor of “Excellent Class”.
Mr. Boston Banda is a 2025 graduate of the heavy-duty equipment engineering program. He delivered a speech as a representative of the award-winning students, “Many of us have never been exposed to heavy machinery, and have never even imagined that we would become technicians, operators, or future innovators. Under the training of the college, we have mastered mechanical maintenance and operation techniques, cultivated a sense of discipline, teamwork, and professionalism, and most importantly, learned to believe in our potential. Today, we not only hold graduation certificates, but also have the confidence and ability to contribute to the development of our country."
Launching Direct Employment Pathways, Precisely Connecting with Job Opportunities
Zambia’s Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, Hon. Elvis Nkandu, MP, congratulated all graduates and encouraged them that they had not only obtained certificates but also mastered practical skills, making them the new forces urgently needed for Zambia's economic development. They would drive national transformation through technology, innovation, and perseverance. He highly praised CAMCO College's efforts in technical and vocational education, and especially affirmed the college's substantial efforts in changing individual destinies, industrial landscapes, and even the entire country's labor force structure.
After the ceremony, graduates directly participated in on-site job interviews. An outdoor exhibition area showcased the college’s advanced training equipment and enterprise products, allowing guests to intuitively experience the closed-loop results of “training - practice - employment”. During the exchange at the lunch gathering, representatives from the government and enterprises expressed their commitment to continue to deepen cooperation and jointly foster new drivers for Africa's growth.
Rooted in Africa, Building a ‘Belt and Road’ Skills Hub
CAMCO College (Zambia) is a vivid practice in response to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security’s “Belt and Road Skills-Building-Dreams Action”. Jointly established by CAMCO Group and Shandong Deren Sifang Talents Development Group, it is a TEVETA-accredited vocational education institution. The college is located in Makeni Area, Lusaka, equipped with professional training venues and more than 100 teaching equipment such as excavators, graders, and dump trucks.
CAMCO College, based on the skills needs of countries along the “Belt and Road”, provides vocational skills and professional quality training in computer operation, engineering vehicle operation, maintenance, and management for local employees of Chinese-funded enterprises and local community members. By forming an international teaching and management team jointly between China and Africa, it has established a "three-in-one" standard for the training of international skilled talents that integrates employee training, technical services, and cultural exchanges, which not only supports the localization development of Chinese-funded enterprises, but also assists Zambia in enhancing the skill levels of its citizens. The college’s graduates are widely active in the four major sectors of machinery, logistics, energy, and manufacturing, becoming the backbone of Zambia's industrialization process and injecting new momentum into the construction of the "Belt and Road" and the revitalization of skills in Africa.
