Project Notice |
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| PNR | 291 |
| Project Name | Vocational training to increase employment levels |
| Project Detail | The policy of apartheid prevented the majority of the South African population from accessing learning opportunities or vocational education. Even today many people do not have the necessary qualifications to find work or to set up their own business. The South African government has made vocational education and job creation one of its priority issues, with a view to supplying the labour market with adequate numbers of qualified workers, lowering unemployment and reducing social disparity within the country. Objective The livelihoods of small and micro-entrepreneurs and their employees in the informal sector are improved as a result of vocational education. Approach Since 1995 GIZ has been helping South Africa to restructure and redirect its fragmented, apartheid-era vocational education system. Using a multi-layered approach, the Employment and Skills Development Services Programme (ESDS) has promoted the competence, potential and skills of local partner organisations and designed and rolled-out a new vocational education system that provides better training for more young people since 2007. At the same time, GIZ has advised and assisted the South African government in setting up Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA), which are designed to increase the competence and performance of organisations in the field of vocational education. In 2012 the ‘Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Development (BESD)’ programme started to consolidate the results of previous programmes and implement them nationwide. BESD advises the Department of Higher Education and Training and the Small Enterprise Development Agency on how to develop and implement strategies and concepts, thereby promoting the informal sector's access to good basic vocational education. GIZ supports the development of resources and expertise for quality assurance and advises vocational education institutions on the efficient and effective implementation of training courses for small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs. Results achieved so far The incomes and living standards of more than 360,000 people who have completed educational and training programmes have increased substantially. Figures from independent surveys in the construction and metal industries confirm this positive outlook: 76% of those completing construction industry courses and 67% of those who did metalworking courses found work afterwards. In 2008/2009 81% of the participants were black people, 53% women and 2% physically disabled people. This means that the equality targets of the South African government have very nearly been achieved. More than 80% of the small businesses and micro-entrepreneurs that took courses supported by the programme have been able to increase their revenue. Around 60% have since invested in their companies, creating an average of one new job each. |
| Funded By | Deutsche Gesellschaft f?r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) |
| Sector | Education & Training |
| Country | Ghana , Western Africa |
| Project Value | Plz Refer Document |
Contact Information |
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| Company Name | German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) |
| Address | Postfach 12 03 22, 53045 Bonn, Germany, Tel: +49 / 228 / 9 95 35-0, Fax: +49 / 228 / 9 95 35-35 00. |
| Web Site | http://www.bmz.de/ |
