SDC's Support to Mongolia's Vocational Education and Training Reform
SDC sees this as an opportunity to invest in the better employability of rural men and women through support for vocational education and training. Under its new Vocational Education and Training (VET) domain, SDC will focus on improving the employability of VET-trained young men and women, as well as support the development of demand-oriented curriculum in six regional schools in western aimags.
Through partnerships with the private sector, VET will be made more practical and relevant for the labour market. Based on industry-needs analysis conducted in the western aimags, priority VET sectors will include construction, agriculture and mechanics, all of which offer employment opportunities for young rural graduates.
Short-term skills development training will complement formal VET by rapidly improving the employability of men and women who lack marketable skills. The planned SDC intervention in skills development will mostly target middle-aged herders and ex-herders who, because of their age or other negating factors, are not eligible to enrol in the formal VET system. SDC will also explore the possibility of a joint intervention with other development partners, in particular the Asian Development Bank and GIZ.
Switzerland will support small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development through the building of entrepreneurial capacities and through enhanced access to credit. SDC will assist SMEs in niche markets that have the potential to remain relevant and competitive despite the potentially negative effects of Dutch Disease. SDC will aim to foster the evident potential for synergies between VET and SME projects that contribute to the technical education of young VET students and professionals.
Investments in better scientific education and life skills will increase eco-awareness and create future job opportunities for young Mongolians. SDC will work towards the inclusion of comprehensive environmental education in the Mongolian primary and secondary school curriculum, which is considered the most effective way to achieve broad and lasting change in eco-awareness. In addition, SDC will support a UNFPA-led project that aims to enhance the life skills of young people, equipping them with the knowledge to claim their rights and exercise their civic responsibilities.
SDC in Mongolia is active in creating more employment opportunities and generating income for the rural population through the following projects:
