Despite economic growth and increasing public resources, Bolivia still has high levels of poverty. Unemployment and low employment quality are main concerns that affect predominantly youth and women. There is a growing political recognition that quality technical training, providing skills coherent with the demand from production, is a key factor to address the need of better jobs and economic opportunities in the country, in particular for the poorest parts of the population. Public expenditure devoted to technical training is increasing, but still insufficient to overcome structural constraints (insufficient qualified teachers and equipment, weak coordination between education and production actors), which prevent people from having access to relevant and quality technical training. There is a demand from the Ministry of Education (MoE) to learn from successful experiences in technical training for the implementation of its technical training policy.

Higher goal - Purpose: The project contributes to reducing poverty, increasing income and improving access to decent work for women and men as a result of technical training. Project Objective (Phase IV): Access, relevance and quality of technical training has improved, benefiting workers, producers and vulnerable populations, young people and women in particular.

• 25’000 participants benefiting directly with access to quality technical training provided by Project partners. Women and young people’s access to training will be promoted. They are expected to represent respectively 50% and 60% of the total number of participants.
• Replication of the Project’s good practices in the technical training system will benefit 200’000 people per year by providing better quality technical training (at least 50% women and youth).

• Training centers in rural areas with strengthened capacities providing relevant technical training improve participants’ access to employment and self-employment.
• Training centers in urban areas with strengthened capacities providing relevant technical training improve participants’ access to employment and self-employment.
• Technical training teachers and facilitators with strengthened capacities use approaches and methodologies for relevant and quality technical training, and
• Lessons learned through the project contribute to the elaboration and implementation of a public policy for technical training.

Principaux résultats antérieurs:  

• 18’200 people participated in training programs (54% women), out of which 6’000 earned their degree (60% women).
• 8’000 additional workers with certified skills (30% women).
• Growing investments by the Ministry of Education in technical education: approximately CHF 25 million in 2011. Direct partners contributed CHF 1.7 million.
• Increase in the percentage of working graduates whose income level is above the national minimum wage (US$120/month in 2011) from 44% to 56%.

Phase 4 01.01.2014 - 30.09.2018   (Completed)