Ethiopia employees hail jobs, knowledge transfer from Chinese investment

ADDIS ABABA - Local employees at Chinese invested companies in Ethiopia say they have benefited from employment opportunities created by the Chinese investment in the East African country.

Some of the workers at factories on the premises of the Eastern Industrial Zone in Dukem about 35 km south of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, told Xinhua on Wednesday that they have benefited from knowledge and technology transfer as well as the Chinese-invested companies.

Simenesh Getachew is a production line team leader at Huajian Shoe factory in the Eastern Industrial Zone.

She has worked for about four years at the factory, which she said is her first work place after she finished her studies at school.

Simenesh said she has learned a lot in the shoe industry and got good experience, which has enabled her to lead a team of 42 workers to process the production of shoes.

"I have got very good skill and knowledge here. I can lead a full process to produce a shoe," she said.

Having commenced operation in January 2012, Huajian has created more than 4,000 job opportunities for the local people, and some of whom have been trained in China.

Lifan Motors Assembly plant is one of the industries that the Eastern Industry Zone hosts.

Mersha Ayele is a Deputy Plant Manager of Lifan Motors at the Industry Zone. Having started his job as a mechanic, he has now attained a managerial level at the assembly plant.

While working with Lifan, Mersha said he has been improving his status and also his income at the Plant.

"I have worked for six years here. There were many machine installations here and I have seen the transformation here; and I have acquired a lot from that experience and also got acquainted with different new technologies," he said.

"The Chinese share with us what they have; and we share with them what we know; we learn each other by understanding each other," he said.