'Unboxing VET Toolbox': Internal Debrief and Learning Workshop
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In 22 and 23 November 2022, VET Toolbox organised an Internal Debrief and Learning Workshop in Brussels to close the first VET Toolbox programme, coming to an end on December 2022, and reflect on its five years of implementation. Representatives from the five VET Toolbox partner agencies (the British Council, Expertise France/Groupe AFD, GIZ, LuxDev, and Enabel), the European Commission (DG INTPA and a representative from the EU Delegation to Malawi), and VET experts from Sub Saharan African countries were invited to take an active participation role in the workshop.
During the 1.5-day workshop, participants identified and exchanged on the lessons learned from VET Toolbox implementation and performance, with a focus on the three pillars of the programme 1: Public-private partnership, Inclusion and Labour market analysis, and identified the lessons learned on the partnership approach, including the interagency collaboration, coordination, and co-implementation.
Mutual Learning and Networking Seminar
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From 11 to 13 May 2022, representatives from the eleven VET Toolbox grant projects met in Brussels to close their pilot projects on inclusive VET and employment.
During these three days, they inspired and challenged each other by sharing the results and lessons learned of their projects.
Shaping the future of VET
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From 9 to 11 May 2022, our country team colleagues of all partner agencies (British Council, Enabel, Expertise France, GIZ and LuxDev) joined for a Networking seminar on “Shaping the future of VET”. During these exciting three days, they shared good practices and knowledge, exchanged on opportunities and operational challenges and participated in a mini-hackathon on sustainability challenges, including on how VET Toolbox projects can influence the investment climate and address impact at system/policy level.
How can TVET work effectively with the private sector in fast-changing economies?
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International Seminar 2021
With millions of young people entering the workforce every year, fast-changing economies are poised to benefit from a demographic dividend which could lead to great gains in poverty reduction, employment generation and economic growth. One of the biggest challenges for such countries is finding a sustainable model of unlocking the latent potential of its young people. In this context, the importance of skills development as a driver of socio-economic development is paramount.
This VET Toolbox International Seminar provided a forum for policy-makers, experts practitioners and employers from the Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector to explore and discuss their common challenges in developing the skills that will drive prosperity. The seminar took place from 23-25 November 2021. The interactive online seminar, which was implemented by the British Council, included contributions from international TVET experts, policy-makers, lead educators, employers, NGOs and training agencies, as well as over 300 delegates.
The seminar was formally opened by Antti Karhunen, Director Sustainable, Finance and Jobs at the International Partnerships Directorate of the European Commission. Among the speakers was Daniel Susskind, Fellow in Economics at University of Oxford, visiting Professor at King’s College London, author and co-author of the best-selling book The Future of the Professions who spoke about ‘Training the future workforce for automation and technological change’.
VET policy: How to get all the voices heard?
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On 24 June 2021 VET Toolbox & AUDA NEPAD SIFA hosted a webinar on VET policy.
For this webinar, VET Toolbox and AUDA NEPAD SIFA bring together a broad array of stakeholders to exchange on the different steps in the policy development process, specifically focusing on VET policy development from a bottom-up perspective.
Keynote speaker Joy Papier reflects on vocational policy development in post-apartheid South Africa from the vantage point of a participant-observer.
Concrete practical experiences from other African countries help define key success factors and lessons learned.
Download the guiding note that gives advice on how to approach the challenge of VET policy development.
New VET Toolbox service to increase local benefits of European investment in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Amplifying our impact together
VET Toolbox services to increase local benefits of European investment
Investment not only needs finance but also people with the right skills. The new VET Toolbox service supports – in close collaboration with other stakeholders – local people in 11 countries in Sub-Saharan African in acquiring those skills. Dialogue between the public and private sector will be at the basis of targeted actions in specific sectors or value chains.
On 8th June 2021, VET Toolbox presented this new service during an online launch event attended by around 200 participants.
Below you can rewatch the videos that were presented during the launch event. You also can download the powerpoint presentation and relevant documents.
Rewatch the video message of Jutta Urpilainen, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships:
Rewatch our animated video on the VET Toolbox services, focusing on the new service:
Rewatch the inspiring music videos of 5 artists from our partner countries:
Informal Apprenticeship: formalise or not?
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On 20 May 2021 VET Toolbox & Archipelago Programme hosted a webinar on Informal Apprenticeship.
Apprenticeship in the informal economy is widespread and bears huge opportunities. In this webinar you will learn about the key elements of “informal apprenticeship”- systems.
Keynote speaker Patrick Werquin clarifies the concepts and deepen your insights into the functioning of informal apprenticeships in relation to formalised systems. Special focus is on the role of employers and the financial side of informal apprenticeships.
Colleagues from Ghana and Ivory Coast complement with their concrete examples and lessons learned on the topic. Christine Hofmann, from the ILO, joined us for the closing remarks.
Download the guiding note on Informal Apprenticeship.
Developing VET qualifications: how to ensure they meet employer and learner needs?
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On 11 February 2021 VET Toolbox hosted a webinar on developing VET qualifications.
Qualifications are the bedrock of effective and relevant VET systems. However, in order to be effective they need to meet the needs of learners, employers, educators and policy makers. Striking the right balance between flexibility and rigour can be hard. This event will explore effective ways to develop qualifications from multiple perspectives.
Keynote speaker Steve Franklin (ECITB) focuses on the development of skills, standards and qualifications for the engineering construction workforce. Colleagues from 2 VET projects present their ongoing initiatives providing concrete examples on finding a pathway to designing and delivering qualifications that meet industry needs.
Q&A: Our speakers answered the pending questions that came up during the webinar. Find the answers here.
Download the guide to developing and implementing qualifications that meet industry needs.
Financing VET: how can a training levy help?
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On 1 December 2020 VET Toolbox hosted a webinar on Financing VET.
Not just the individual learners, but also employers and society as a whole, benefit from education, training and lifelong learning. Governments are key investors in skills development. Additionally, we also need enterprise involvement to provide stable and sustained ways of financing training, and to ensure the relevance of this training for the labour market. Financing skills development is dealt with in different ways across the globe. There is a clear need among both national stakeholders and international experts to further explore adequate financing mechanisms, that will guarantee sustainable and effective skills development systems.
This webinar highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the existing major financing mechanisms. Keynote speaker Alexis Hoyaux zooms in on sector training funds globally. During his presentation he identifies private sector resources and provides costing and budget planning tools. Finally, he visualises the participation, roles and incentives from the perspective of the employers’ organisations.
Q&A: Our speakers answered the pending questions that came up during the webinar. Find the answers here.
Labour Market Analysis: which kind suits your situation?
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On 12 November 2020 VET Toolbox hosted a webinar on Labour Market Assessment.
To be successful, employment policies and programmes must be informed by a strong understanding of the local labour market. This may include information on growing sectors, existing job vacancies, skills needed in the private sector, working conditions, etc.. Since there is no single type of assessment to understand employment and labour market dynamics, practitioners must be able to identify the most suitable type of assessment(s) for their context and needs.
This webinar will provide an overview of different types of labour market assessment and introduce relevant criteria to facilitate the choice of the appropriate instrument. Keynote speaker Kevin Hempel is the Founder and Managing Director of Prospera Consulting. He supports governments, bilateral and multilateral development organizations as well as international NGOs in the design, implementation and evaluation of employment policies and programmes, especially for disadvantaged groups such as youth, women and refugees.
Q&A: Our speakers answered the pending questions that came up during the webinar. Find the answers here.
Recources
TOOLS: Compendium of Tools for Labour Market Assessment