Malawi Artisans Gain Formal Recognition for Skills Learned on the Job

Refrigeration and air-conditioning technician Owen M'bona learned his trade through practical experience rather than formal training and said the lack of a recognised qualification previously caused people to question his abilities.

Malawi has marked a major step in recognising workers who built their skills outside classrooms, with the country celebrating its first group of artisans certified through the Recognition of Prior Learning system, giving experienced workers formal proof of abilities developed through years of practical work.

A graduation ceremony held at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe on 6 August 2026 saw 100 artisans receive certificates, representing part of a wider group of more than 500 workers who have already completed assessments and gained certification through the programme.

Experience Becomes a Recognised Qualification

Recognition of Prior Learning, known as RPL, assesses a person's existing knowledge and practical abilities against recognised occupational standards, regardless of whether those skills came from formal education, workplace experience or informal learning.

The approach carries particular importance in Malawi, where 91.5 per cent of employed people work in the informal economy and many skilled workers have spent years developing trades without gaining qualifications that demonstrate their abilities to employers or customers.

For successful candidates, certification can strengthen professional credibility while opening routes into further training, better employment and business opportunities that may have previously been harder to access without documented qualifications.

Certification Brings New Confidence to Skilled Workers

Refrigeration and air-conditioning technician Owen M'bona learned his trade through practical experience rather than formal training and said the lack of a recognised qualification previously caused people to question his abilities.

Receiving certification has given him greater confidence that customers and employers can trust his work, reflecting the experience of many Malawians whose skills have traditionally remained undocumented despite years spent developing them.

ILO Country Director for Malawi and Zambia Wellington Chibebe encouraged graduates to become ambassadors for RPL, using their certificates to demonstrate their abilities while encouraging other experienced workers to seek recognition for their own skills.

National System Supports Malawi's Workforce Ambitions

The Ministry of Labour, Skills and Innovation and the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority have led the development and rollout of the system, supported by the International Labour Organization and the wider United Nations system. Work behind the programme has included developing national guidelines, assessment tools and procedures, training assessors and building Malawi's capacity to conduct skills assessments across the country.

The initiative is supported through the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, with funding from the governments of the Republic of Korea and Norway. Officials see RPL as part of Malawi's broader Malawi 2063 vision, helping create a workforce where practical experience carries recognised value and skilled people have more opportunities to turn their knowledge into sustainable careers and businesses.