No Longer a Last Resort - Youth Economic Opportunities · Institutional Strengthening. Instructor...

No Longer a Last Resort: Transitioning youth into the workforce

through strengthened TVET education in Ethiopia and Kenya

Camille Joseph Khoury – Colleges and Institutes CanadaHannah Pugh – Dalhousie University

Catherine Walker – MEDA

1. The potential of the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to be a driver of employment and self-employment

2. Importance of developing market-driven programs aligned with practical skills needed by the workforce with meaningful integration of gender and other cross-cutting themes

3. Strategies to effectively engage with the private sector and promote entrepreneurship among young people

Agenda

1. Introduction to TVET institutions 2. Sector Challenges 3. CICan and Dalhousie/MEDA Programming Overview4. Group Problem Solving Sessions

a) Curriculum Developmentb) Private Sector Employment and Entrepreneurship

5. Panel Feedback 6. Wrap Up

Interactive Polling Tool

https://www.sli.do/

So what is TVET anyways? Why talk about it?

• Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions

• Education and training which provides knowledge and skills for employment

• Recognized as the most practical avenue for acquiring readily employable skills for the world of work for young people

Knowledge Test

How much do you know about job availability for TVET graduates?

https://www.sli.do/

TVET Institutions and the GYEO

• Ready for the Global Workforce: How do we prepare youth for transition to the workforce and for the demands of today’s rapidly transforming global economy?

Quick Poll

What do you see as the most significant challenges facing the TVET sector?

https://www.sli.do/

Key Challenges Facing the Sector• Poor reputation among private

sector and potential students • Limited integration/linkages with

private sector • Alignment between

employer/market demands and course offerings

• Cultural barriers for girls’ entry • Inadequate funding compared to

other education streams • Limited focus on entrepreneurship• Limited opportunities for practical

learning and education• Poor quality infrastructure and

equipment

Initiatives Working in the TVET sector

Agricultural Transformation Through Stronger Vocational

Education (ATTSVE)

Ethiopia – 2014-2021

Dalhousie University, MEDA, McGill University, JUCAVM

Kenya Education for Employment Program (KEFEP)

Kenya – 2016-2021

Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan)

Key Elements of TVET Programming

Institutional Strengthening

Instructor Training and

Programming Support

Networks and Linkages

Curriculum Development Overview

LMI

Gap analysis

Advisory committees

Curriculum & training

Evaluation

• Applying competency-based education and training (CBET) approaches

• Increasing alignment with market trends • Mainstreaming of gender, entrepreneurship and environment

Group Problem Solving Session #1 Curriculum Development

1. Competency Based Education and Training (CBET)

Key Lessons • Get industry on-board early• Think about technical skills and

knowledge and attitudes that must accompany those skills for them to be effective in a work setting.

• Invest in teacher training to communicate lessons through demonstration, instead of lecture

• Work with school leadership to ensure sustainable links with employers, community, student body

KEFEP Video

2. Market AnalysisKey Lessons • Importance of detailed market

assessment in the curriculum development and specialty selection process

• Benefit of partnerships with organizations experienced in business/economic development

• Inclusion and buy-in of stakeholders, alignment with government priorities, other initiatives

• Consider industries with easier entry points for youth

• Consider potential for both employment and entrepreneurship

3. Mainstreaming of Gender, Entrepreneurship, Environment

Key Lessons • Cross-cutting themes are effectively mainstreamed into curriculum using a

participatory approach and preceded and followed by training• Cross-cutting themes are not tokenistic, linked to relevant resources at

colleges and are related to each other• Integration of themes are supported by structure of gender/environment/

income generation offices, increasing understanding of these areas• Addressing gender equality and gender-based violence

Key Challenges for Discussion1. Navigating government approval processes and changing priorities 2. Shifting thinking around learning to more participatory methods3. Effective market analysis and prediction of future employment trends 4. Meaningful integration of gender and other cross-cutting themes 5. Changing opinions around the value of generalist vs. specialist

curriculum

https://www.sli.do/

Group Problem Solving Session #2: Private Sector Employment and

Entrepreneurship

1. Industry Advisory Committees

2. Industry Placement Programs

3. Business Plan Competitions and Coaching

1. Industry Advisory Committees Key Lessons • Advise on changes in the labour market

which may affect the employment of graduates or the viability of existing programs;

• Advise on requirements for new programs designed to meet emerging needs in the industry sector;

• Assist in the evaluation of program outcomes, and any other standards that may be applicable to the circumstances of each program;

• Support the curriculum development process by providing industry experts to serve as needs assessment/occupational analysis/program reviewers

2. Industry Placement Programs

Key Lessons • Importance of experiential learning during education• Ensuring meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships with private

sector actors• Linking placements to learning outcomes • Ensuring TVETs have the resource needed to implement

Industry Placement Video

3. Business Plan Competitions and Coaching

Key Lessons• Importance of integration of

business/entrepreneurship skills into curriculum

• Need for continuous coaching and support during grant period and beyond

• Connect with other Market System actors and programs

• Understanding what motivates young people

• Benefits/draw-backs of working and starting a business consecutively

• Importance of financial management• Gender and group dynamics

Student SME Video

1. Engaging young women in business and placement programs 2. Keeping industry engaged in committees 3. Motivating private sector to host students and provide meaningful

placements4. Effective integration of classroom learning and industry placements 5. Motivating students to pursue entrepreneurship and effective business

implementation

Key Challenges for Discussion

https://www.sli.do/

Feedback Session

Project Resources

1. ATTSVE• Teacher Training and Learning Material (TTLM) Guides

• Business and Entrepreneurship • Gender

• Toolkit to Address Gender-Based Violence in Agricultural Colleges in Ethiopia

2. Colleges and Institutes Canada • Green Skills for Sustainable Economic Growth• Skills Development as a Means to Women's Empowerment• Student support services, particularly related to sexual harassment

and pay-for-grades in schools• http://www.supertecnica.co.mz/en/genero/

• TVET institutions have an important role to play in preparing and linking students with employment and self-employment opportunities

• Curriculum should: apply competency-based training, be based on market analysis, meaningfully integrate gender, environment, entrepreneurship

• Private sector and entrepreneurship can be integrated though: industry advisory committees, placement programs, business competitions

Q&A