Professional Education Leading to Employability of Youth in Nicaragua

Projekt abgeschlossen

During this closing phase some ten thousand young men and women who are at risk of being excluded increase their employability, based on improved curricula with new soft and entrepreneurial skills. To that end, To that end, instruments which were developed during earlier phases are now consolidated for the purpose of continuously updating the curriculum, the certification of competencies as well as the teacher training. Existing alliances with the private sector will be deepened in order to direct the educational supply in such a way that it satisfies market demands and increases employability.

Land/Region Thema Periode Budget
Nicaragua
Berufsbildung
Beschäftigung & Wirtschaftsentwicklung
Berufsbildung
Gewerbeunterstützung & Wirtschaftszugang
01.04.2017 - 31.08.2020
CHF  3’700’000
Hintergrund
  • 57% of Nicaraguan youth are at risk of social exclusion. Early maternity/paternity forces women to work at home (childcare) while young men take precarious jobs (75% of all jobs are in the informal sector).
  • The Nicaraguan Technology Institute (INATEC) has available resources it receives from corporate sector contributions. However, these companies are requesting that INATEC provides a technical education more adequate to its needs, as well as better governance. 
Ziele
  • Swiss Development Cooperation contributes to reduce poverty and vulnerability among Nicaraguan youth.
Zielgruppen
  • 10,000 young men and women (60% women) at risk of being excluded (meaning they have dropped out of the education system; have low levels of schooling; are parents at a very young age; currently hold precarious jobs).
  • 80 pedagogical advisors and teachers (30% women), at the National Teacher Training Centre.
  • 750 teachers and instructors (30% women), in technical education and professional education. 
Mittelfristige Wirkungen
  • To consolidate processes leading to improvements in the quality and relevance of professional education, so young women and men are more employable in priority sectors and   territories.
Resultate

Erwartete Resultate:  

  • 5,000 young men and women are educated with direct project support, while another 5,000 are educated using counterpart funds. Comprehensive curricula are used (including soft skills and entrepreneurship).
  • 750 teachers have new  competencies in technical education (values, tutorials,  professional orientation, evaluation, others).
  • At systemic level: INATEC adopts a professional education model using instruments that ensure on-going improvement of the curricula intended to educate young men and women at risk as well as the teaching faculty. At least eight (8) training centres adopt excellent practices regarding student selection, alliances with the private sector and employability. 


Resultate von früheren Phasen:  

Key results of the earlier phase

  • 15,415 young men and women (67%) were directly educated with programme support.
  • 76% of the young men and women receiving an education have shown improved social insertion and employability (20% employed by third parties, 25% self-employed and 31% now reinserted to the educational system).
  • Curriculum design was updated in the coffee and cocoa agribusiness; textiles and garments; and construction.
  • The National Teacher Training Centre is operating with 23 well-prepared pedagogical advisors.
  • A National Technical and Professional Education Model was defined and has become the foundation base on which to coordinate with other educational subsystems in Nicaragua.

Key lessons learned in the previous phase

  • The reinsertion of at risk youth requires teaching and learning processes adjusted to their low levels of schooling and psychosocial conditions.
  • The teaching faculty is crucial when it comes to quality. INATEC has allocated a budget with which to operate the National Teacher Training in a sustainable manner. 
  • According to studies regarding private sector demands, the employability of young men and women cannot be achieved by focusing on technological aspects alone, as it is also necessary to develop soft skills.
  • For purposes of insertion to the workforce (employability) it is key to work closely and forge alliances with the private sector.
  • Some private centres have resources with which to operate in a sustainable fashion, whether by selling services or through access to resources from corporate social responsibility (CSR). This closing phase will provide them with instruments intended to ensure continuous improvement and the validation of curricular innovations.

 


Verantwortliche Direktion/Bundesamt DEZA
Kreditbereich Entwicklungszusammenarbeit
Projektpartner Vertragspartner
Privatsektor
Schweizerische Non-Profit-Organisation
  • Ausländischer Privatsektor Süden/Osten
  • Swisscontact


Andere Partner
  • Government: Institute of Urban and Rural Housing and the National Technological Institute.
  • Academe: Departments of engineering and architecture.
  • Nicaraguan private sector: Construction materials distributors; Chamber of Construction.
  • Swiss private sector: HOLCIM.
Koordination mit anderen Projekten und Akteuren
  • Luxembourg: Harmonisation for the development of institutional indicators and the monitoring system; support to the National Teacher Training Centre; and methodologies for the design of curricula, among others.
  • SDC ProJoven Programme - Honduras: Exchange of experiences in young adult entrepreneurship, employability and fitting out of educational spaces.
  • Donor Table: Accompaniment to the evolution of the context and opportunities for harmonisation are provided at periodical meetings between the EU, USAID, JICA, Luxembourg and SDC.
Budget Laufende Phase Schweizer Beitrag CHF    3’700’000 Bereits ausgegebenes Schweizer Budget CHF    3’550’310
Projektphasen Phase 5 01.08.2020 - 31.12.2023   (Completed)

Phase 4 01.04.2017 - 31.08.2020   (Completed)

Phase 3 01.01.2013 - 30.06.2017   (Completed)