12 Jun 2022

The adoption of new skills and new technology has the potential to transform the creative industry .

Speaking at the creative industries dissemination workshop hosted by Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), recently, the Chairperson of the HRDC Creative Industry Sector,

Thabiso Mashaba said there was need for copyright specialists, audio engineers and those skilled in public speaking, among others to help grow the sector. Mashaba said for the sector to be cohesive, there was need for a boost in services such as arts management.

He said the creative industry players had shown keen interest in occupations such as script writing and content creation, as part of the skills that would complement their career paths and grow the sector.

He added that the sector had potential for both wealth and job creation, adding that there was also need for documentation of indigenous knowledge such as basket weaving for future skills share.

Mashaba said in 2016, the sector contributed 5.46 per cent to Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product, which was higher than the contribution by agriculture, manufacturing and transport and communication.

The majority of participants, from different institutions of learning, among them musicians, poets, fashion designers also called for courses for talent managers, digital business specialists, with the hope that they would help in innovation and creation of new technologies.

Human Resource Development Council acting chief executive officer, Meshack Tafa said it was imperative for the industry to realise its potential.

He said the Human Resource Development Council team was ready to help the creative sector to formulate plans to move the country towards a knowledge-based economy among others to help grow the creative sector. ENDS