Many developing countries are affected by high unemployment, especially among young people. Paradoxically, many companies are simultaneously experiencing challenges in filling positions that require professional skills. Good technical and vactional education and training (TVET) can therefore play a decisive role in lowering unemployment and ensuring more sustainable production with more decent jobs.
At the same time, a high supply of workers with the right skills is a prerequisite for the green transition. It will require a large number of electricians, concreters with knowledge of sustainable materials, and workers with IT-skills amon other skilled professionals.
In many developing countries, however, TVET suffers from low prestige, poor funding, out-of-date curricula, teachers without relevant work experience, and a lack of apprenticeships. This means that students and apprentices can neither be guaranteed decent conditions or relevant competences during their technical education, nor sufficient quality raining through apprenticeships.
Therefore, the Danish Labour Market Consortium works globally to ensure that local social partners become more deeply involved in the development of quality TVET systems and curricula atuned to actual and future needs.
Based on Danish experiences, we support social partners and technical schools in identifying the skills needed by local companies now and in the future. And based on that knowledge, to develop curricula and internships that ensure students are offered a relevant education - whether they are right out of school or need re- or up-skilling to participate in the green transition.
The local partners are supported to advocate reforms of national TVET systems. And to document experiences from pilot projects to show the value of TVET among the wider public.