The performance of the BiH labor market is amongst the poorest in Europe Recent official data show a 28% unemployment rate (300'000 persons) Labor market indicators show significantly worse results for the youth (59% unemployed), in particular for graduates of the vocational and educational training system, and for women. More than 25'000 young school-leavers enter the labor market every year to make first steps in transition from schools to jobs. They have little of the competences requested by employers for the available jobs.

The overall goal of the project is reduce unemployment among youth, particularly women. The employability and productivity of job-seekers, VET students and employees in need of skills enhancement are improved as a result of systemic changes within the initial (formal) and continuous (non-formal) VET system.

End beneficiaries are students of VET schools involved in the project, as well as unemployed young people and workers in need of skills upgrade. Direct project beneficiaries are VET schools and companies in need of skilled labor force, as well as affiliated training centers.

The demand-driven continuous (non-formal) VET system is developed - in accordance with the Skills for Jobs model - and operative in at least eight economic sectors, and elements of the dual education model including practical training and apprenticeship are introduced in twenty public (formal) VET schools in the five most populated Cantons, in the Brcko district and in two regions of the Republika Srpska entity.

At least 7500 unemployed and school graduates (50% women) out of 10000 trainees are hired as a direct result of successfully finished trainings until the end of 2018.

Principaux résultats attendus:  

1) Critical mass of operational non-formal VET centers offering demand oriented training, 2) ownership of these VET centers assured by local partners, 3) sustainable financing of these VET centers assured, 4) availability of an enabling legal and policy framework, 5) practical in-company trainings for formal VET teachers piloted and assessed, 6) practical part of formal VET schools improved, 7) established strategic alliances between the major stakeholders, 8) communication platform for key stakeholders established.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

8 Training Centers in six industrial sectors have been established and have started offering different trainings to employed and unemployed people in the last year of the project phase. So far, more than 500 people have been trained, out of which 312 unemployed young people. 102 of them were able to report temporary or permanent employment three months after the finalizations of the training. All training centers follow the same training standards, use standardized trainings matenals, and all of their trainers underwent an intensive capacity building program. In total, 36 curricula and related test items have been developed, including 14 new occupational standards This process was characterized by a strong involvement of the private sector. It resulted in demand-driven modern training programs and the establishment of a pool of over 80 experts / practitioners in the given jobs who are ready to further contribute to the improvement of this education model.

Education Ministries (Entity and Cantonal levels); Pedagogical Institutes, VET Schools, Chambers of Commerce, municipal authonties)

Synergies and coordination with other SDC projects in the youth employment portfolio. Youth Employment Project - fostering the cooperation between companies and employment institutes. Market Makers - participation in curricula development for trainings offered so far in the ICT sector by the Market Makers project partners.

Phase 2 01.11.2014 - 30.06.2019   (Completed)