Mr. David C. Chakonta is an independent TVET systems development and administration consultant, specializing in Research and Innovation oriented services in Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (TEVET) systems development, organization and management covering policy, regulation, and service delivery levels. He has carried out consultancy work for bilateral and multi-lateral agencies on skills development programme formulation and/or capacity building project implementation in Zambia and West Africa region.

Mr. Chakonta has over 30 years TEVET sector experience; having held positions of Technical College Mechanical Engineering Lecturer, Head of Department, Vice Principal and Principal, later on worked for Zambia’s Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) first as Director Development, and later on Director General/CEO.

Mr. Chakonta’s corporate governance experience has included: Board membership of the ZESCO, the National Science and Technology Council – Zambia, the National Council for Construction and Engineering Institution of Zambia He also served as Board Chairman of Junior Achievement Zambia. In addition, he was the inaugural Board Chairperson for WorldSkills Zambia and served as Advisory Group member of WorldSkills International’s Skills Development in Africa Project. He played a lead role in hosting the first Board meeting of WorldSkills International on the African continent, in May 2017, since the latter’s inception in 1950.

Mr. Chakonta holds a Master of Engineering (Hons.), Degree in Manufacturing Engineering and Management from the University of Nottingham (UK); a Diploma in Mechanical Technology from Northern Technical College (Zambia); a Technical Teachers Diploma from the University of Zambia in association with the Technical and Vocational Teachers College (Zambia), a certificate in Curriculum Innovation in Technical Education – Management Option from the University of Huddersfield (UK); a Certificate in Project Management from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI)