Currently, thousands of youths are graduating in various fields from more than 30 universities in Ethiopia. The graduates have become a real engine to expedite the country’s transition into industrialization. Lack of well-trained human power was the bottleneck of the industry sector in the past. However, providing successive training in the industry sector in various universities has enabled the country to fill the huge gap in the skilled labor force.
When the government gives priority to the idea of developing massive Industrial Parks (IPs), it was aimed at promoting industrialization and creating job opportunities for the growing number of the educated youth population. The development of industrial parks started in 2014 when the Ethiopian Industrial Parks Development Corporation (IPDC) was established. It gained momentum in 2015 with the Industrial Parks Proclamation 886/2015. In less than three years, several industrial parks were built, inaugurated, started operations and have created job opportunities for several Ethiopians.
Currently, the number of operational industrial parks that are found in the country is 16 federally developed parks, 4 regionally developed parks, and 4 private parks. Ethiopia plans to increase its total IPs to 30 by 2025, as part of its efforts to make the country a light manufacturing hub and lower-middle-income economy in the same period.
Recently, this writer had an opportunity to visit one of the private industrial parks, Eastern Industrial Park. Being the first industrial park in Ethiopia, Eastern Industrial Park was established in November 2007. The Industrial Park is landed on a total area of 5 square kilometers; 2 square kilometers have been developed in the first phase and the remaining is planned to be developed in the second phase.
As the pioneering IP in Ethiopia, Eastern Industrial Park is one of the leading and only private industrial parks set up for thirteen years and has become a centre of job creation for numerous youths. It is owned by Chinese investors and attracted more than 100 Chinese companies.
Chinese Embassy Deputy Mission Chief, Shen Qinmin, told journalists that Chinese-run companies have created numerous job opportunities for several youths and women in Ethiopia. The various support and training the IP provides to its workers have further boosted the morale of workers and their dedication has increased. Annual free medical treatment and on-work training is contributing a lot to building competitiveness and productivity of the employees.
While striving to make the Industrial Parks competitive, the Chinese enterprises in Ethiopia are also discharging social responsibilities by taking concrete measures in areas of environmental protection, sustainable development, and social welfare.
Meanwhile, as part of the deepening friendship between the people of China and Ethiopia, the Chinese Embassy and China Medical team has provided free physical examinations for both Ethiopian and Chinese workers in Eastern Industrial Park. On the occasion, more than 300 workers of the industrial park attend and access the free medical checkup.
Chinese Embassy Deputy Mission Chief, Shen Qinmin said that the ninth Medical Expert Team of Chinese provided free health checkups for workers of the Eastern Industrial Park to promote industriousness and productivity.
According to him, China sends a medical team to provide treatment to employees of the park every year. “China prioritizes the safety of industrial workers to ensure competitiveness through boosting productivity. Our workers’ health and safe occupational environment is protected by the law of China,” he added.
As to him, all Chinese investors worldwide obey that law and provide successive healthcare services to workers. The medical treatment is given to the whole employees of the industrial park freely, he said.
Accordingly, urology, gynecology, cardiology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, endocrinology, triage, blood sugar, and herpetological surgery, among other treatments are given freely.
Eastern Industrial Park Site Deputy Director Adugna Zeleke, on his part, said that the industrial park has over 25,000 employees. From this, EIP provides health checkups to over 300 employees within one day. Accordingly, the annual health checkup of the industrial park’s employees enables them to create a conducive working environment and promote their industriousness.
Moreover, workers of the Eastern Industrial Park told The Ethiopian Herald that the annual free medical checkup services and other training opportunities by the Chinese enterprises encourage them to be more successful in their tasks.
Umer Nurhussien is among Eastern Industrial Park workers. This journalist met Umar while taking the medical checkup. Appreciating all the training and free provisions he got at the EIP, Umer said that the industrial park could be a model to capacitate its workers through theoretical and practical training. The industrial park helps its workers to equip with industrial technologies and facilitate knowledge exchange to Ethiopia in the industry sector.
According to him, the annual free medical checkup being provided to the workers enable them to promote their commitment. The medical checkup also improves the mental satisfaction of workers through loving their tasks.
“I have been working at the Eastern Industrial Park for more than five years and developed a culture of industriousness through learning from the Chinese strong working habit. I am confident that I will be more successful in my future endeavors and help my country in the efforts to realize industrialization,” he said.
Another worker of the Eastern Industrial Park, Dawit Yihun, said that he has been working at the Eastern Industrial Park for the past three years. The Chinese workers are always ready to share their experiences with Ethiopians. Being careful about everything is also important to accomplish tasks effectively, he said.
To him, the employment opportunity of Ethiopians in such multinational companies helps to curb the growing unemployment rate in the country.
Eastern Industrial Park values the need to create a conducive environment for its workers. It also fulfills its corporate social responsibilities through caring for the environment. Currently, Eastern Industrial Park is working comprehensively both in the manufacturing and agro-processing sector which would be a plus to avail wide job opportunities to the urban and rural residents.
BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 11 AUGUST 2023
