Month: December 2024

From 3-5 December, teams from 9 Sub-Saharan African countries gathered at the Enabel offices in Brussels to reflect on programme learnings as part of the End-Term Evaluation of the VET Toolbox programme.

This workshop was a pivotal moment to assess how the opportunity-driven approach to Vocational Education and Training (VET), which we piloted, has turned investments into enablers of decent jobs and local benefits.

After a productive first day, where we reviewed and compared the different projects, Day 2 was dedicated to formulating concrete recommendations and addressing transversal topics like gender, private sector engagement, and decent work.

Key recommendations included:

• Customising solutions to specific needs and co-creating with the private sector.
• Offering incentives for private sector involvement in Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) and showcasing the value of participating in skills development for business sustainability.
• Anchoring PPDs in existing structures at national, sectoral and local levels to ensure effective feedback and impact.
• Formalising work-based learning.
• Supporting MSMEs to absorb trainees and create jobs.
• And much more.

On Day 3, we focused on assessing the sustainability of the projects and how stakeholders are adopting the opportunity-driven approach to VET, which aligns training with the needs of companies to create real job opportunities.

In the closing session, representatives from DG INTPA and from partner agencies reflected on the successful journey of VET Toolbox and its pivotal role in shaping the new Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven skills and VET in Africa (TEI OP-VET).

Watch the pictures of the event here. 

On Thursday, 14th November, 100 delegates gathered at the Nim Avenue Hotel in Tamale to mark the closure of the British Council’s VET Toolbox project in Ghana. The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from commercial farms, vocational training institutions, programme beneficiaries, and the Delegation of the European Union to Ghana.

Launched in March 2023, the Agricultural Skills Enhancement Programme has focused on skills development in agriculture across the Northern, North-East, and Savannah regions. Working with public and private partners, the programme has aimed to create local jobs in agriculture and agro-processing. Key partners include the Savannah Zone Agricultural Productivity Improvement Project (SAPIP), the Commission for Technical Vocational Education and Training (CTVET), Ghana TVET Service, the Agriculture Sector Skill Body (ASSB), and selected vocational training institutes.

The project has achieved significant milestones, including the development of three curricula in Agronomy, Farm Enterprise Management, and Tractor Mechanisation. It trained 230 students through six vocational training providers, who then gained hands-on experience through Workplace Experience Learning (WEL) placements at commercial farms. Additionally, the project facilitated sustainable multi-level Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) to enhance collaboration and adapt vocational training to meet investment and labour market needs in agriculture.

At the event, Mr. David Prah, Director General of Ghana TVET Service, delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the project’s success through multi-stakeholder collaboration and innovative work-based training opportunities. Participants also reflected on the programme’s achievements and shared recommendations to guide future training and policy initiatives.