VTC short-course development with internships for refugee, IDP and host communities in the Erbil and Duhok regions of Kurdistan-Iraq
Context
Disadvantaged young people, especially internally and externally displaced persons (IDP´s) and young people from the host communities, have hardly any employment opportunities after vocational training. The reason is the outdated vocational training system, which is neither appreciated nor demanded by the target group nor by potential employers. Therefor the the Nuffic Orange Knowledge Programme wants to improve the quality of education for displaced people and host communities with their programmes in Iraq.
Project description
The main priority of this project is to improve the link between the Vocational Training Centres (VTC’s) and the private sector, while maintaining and improving building social cohesion between the refugee, IDP and host community populations in Kurdistan-Iraq. In addition, this project aims to change the mindset of both trainers and trainees to become more client-oriented toward the needs of the local private sector.
The project aims at building networks between the VTC’s and the private sector (e.g. by cooperating directly with companies but also by liaising with private sector representations).
Within the short courses proposed in this project, internships in local companies are aimed at strengthening the link between the VTC’s and the private sector and make the training more relevant for both trainees and companies.
At the beginning of the project, both a training needs analysis and labour market analysis will be conducted to determine companies’ needs and the most relevant training topics. By this simultaneous approach, responsiveness to current labour market demands is given to offer students more and valuable employment opportunities.
The project builds further on the courses and labour market analyses that have been developed in the framework of the vocational training partnership programme “PISHE”, also implemented with contribution from AMBERO Consulting GmbH.
The project will take place in the Erbil and Duhok governorates, in the VTC’s in the cities of Zakho, Duhok and Soran. The potential sectors to work in have been defined in agreement between MoLSA. Through local contacts, AMBERO has an extensive private sector network in these regions, operating exactly in these sectors. Besides Tourism and construction, agriculture and food processing are the top 3 of potential sectors to focus for the various activities.
The project aims at building networks between the VTC’s and the private sector (e.g. by cooperating directly with companies but also by liaising with private sector representations).
Within the short courses proposed in this project, internships in local companies are aimed at strengthening the link between the VTC’s and the private sector and make the training more relevant for both trainees and companies.
At the beginning of the project, both a training needs analysis and labour market analysis will be conducted to determine companies’ needs and the most relevant training topics. By this simultaneous approach, responsiveness to current labour market demands is given to offer students more and valuable employment opportunities.
The project builds further on the courses and labour market analyses that have been developed in the framework of the vocational training partnership programme “PISHE”, also implemented with contribution from AMBERO Consulting GmbH.
The project will take place in the Erbil and Duhok governorates, in the VTC’s in the cities of Zakho, Duhok and Soran. The potential sectors to work in have been defined in agreement between MoLSA. Through local contacts, AMBERO has an extensive private sector network in these regions, operating exactly in these sectors. Besides Tourism and construction, agriculture and food processing are the top 3 of potential sectors to focus for the various activities.
Special attention will be given to gender awareness and mainstreaming, on the levels of enrolment, curriculum development and internship placement.
Economic and Regional Development
Client: Nuffic
Period: 11.2020 – 02.2022
Country: Iraq
Services
In the Inception phase the following activities will take place:
- Kick-off
- Labour market analysis
- Define short-course topics
- Training needs analysis
- Selection of companies for internships
- Selection and profiling of trainers
During the training phase:
- Short-course development
- Defining necessary equipment for practical training
- Development of 6-10 short-courses
- Developing optional course for a selection of graduates in starting a business
- Capacity strengthening: training teachers in Competence-based education and training (CBET) and didactics
- Training teachers in soft skills
- Training teachers in short-course development
- Training teachers to do job coaching
During the testing phase:
- Coaching VTC teachers
- Coaching private sector staff during internship
- Develop policy and or business plan for alumni organisation and monitoring and coaching graduates in the long-term.
During the closing phase:
- Tracing students during and after their employment
- Dissemination:
- organize and end-seminar with teacher, private sector, MOLSA and project partners
- publication of results