PartICIP - An inclusive and sustainable vocational training system

Background

The PartICIP program is unfolding in a global context marked by widespread poverty among the Malian population, exacerbated by persistent security, social, political and institutional crises that have affected the country for many years. This situation has further deteriorated since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the military coup in August 2020, and the recent diplomatic crisis with ECOWAS and other international partners, plunging Mali into a period of considerable uncertainty.

Mali is characterised by high demographic pressure and an undiversified economy, which has not undergone any significant structural transformation in recent decades. In addition, the country suffers from an acute shortage of skilled labor, affecting all sectors of the economy. The population is predominantly young, with almost half aged between 15 and 24, but many of these young people have low levels of literacy. Every year, some 300,000 young people, often with little or no qualifications, enter the job market.

The massive influx of these young people into the job market could be a valuable resource if the country managed to put in place training and professional integration services adapted to the needs of the job market, in sufficient quantity and quality. However, it is undeniable that the Malian education system, particularly the vocational training sub-sector, currently has a number of shortcomings that prevent it from guaranteeing citizens' right to quality education and training. It must evolve towards an inclusive, better adapted, coherent and functional education system, by developing a training offer in line with the needs of the economy and local opportunities. This sub-sector should become an essential pillar for promoting self-entrepreneurship and socio-professional integration. 

The program

In view of the complex context, constraints and challenges facing the Vocational Training and Employment (VTE) sub-sector, the Partnership Program for Insertion via Private Sector-led Skills (PartICIP) aims to work with the Malian government to support its efforts to reform and develop the sub-sector. More specifically, the program focuses on strengthening the management of the sub-sector, improving the match between young people's skills and the needs of the labor market, and promoting the sustainable professional integration of young people. These actions are aligned with the various orientations defined in national policy, strategy and program documents.

The development of a training offer in line with local economic needs, with an emphasis on self-entrepreneurship and socio-professional integration, will help provide Mali with the skilled workforce it needs for its socio-economic development.

Objectives

The program aims to broaden the range of dual training opportunities beyond handicrafts, thus following on from previous vocational training programs supported by the SDC in Mali. The substantial involvement of the private sector in the design, planning, implementation, certification and governance of the training offer is of crucial importance. This involvement ensures a better match with the needs of the labor market, in particular through the adoption of apprenticeship schemes, notably the dual model. This model delivers more convincing results in terms of employability and employment than training provided exclusively in schools or residential training centers.

The target groups and the expected changes for each are as follows:

1. Young people between the ages of 15 and 35, including holders of the Diplôme d'Études Fondamentales (DEF) and non-oriented students. For this target group, the aim is to provide the job market with young people who have the knowledge and skills adapted to the needs of a private sector in search of qualified human resources through dual training.
2. Selected branches of the private sector looking for a skilled and competent workforce to boost their competitiveness and develop their activities.
3. Direction Nationale de la Formation Professionnelle (DNFP) within the Ministère de l'Éducation Nationale, de l'Enseignement Technique et de la Formation Professionnelle (MENEFP). This target group is responsible for coordinating and monitoring the implementation of policies and reforms in the sub-sector. It is expected to implement reforms aimed at modernising vocational training, in particular the issue of certification, the involvement of the private sector in the strategic governance of vocational training, and so on. Its capacities will be strengthened to this end.
4. The Regional Councils, which will be responsible for project management in the sub-sector in partnership with the private sector and decentralised technical services.
5. Vocational training centers and institutes, with the expectation of co-developing high-quality, relevant training courses, in close cooperation with the private sector, and of having an appropriate technical and teaching platform.

The PartICIP program will implement dual training in four economic sectors in the former regions of Mopti (construction & agriculture, including agri-food), Sikasso (mining & construction), Timbuktu (construction & agriculture, including agri-food), and to a lesser extent in the district of Bamako (hotels and catering).

In addition, other key players in the PartICIP implementation strategy include:

• Training centers in each region, with the technical and pedagogical capacity to co-develop and implement training programs in close collaboration with the private sector, as well as sufficient intake capacity.
• Companies able to co-develop and contribute financially to the implementation of dual training (provision of a technical environment, tutoring resources, etc.).
• Structures able to provide information on careers, job placement schemes and available funding, and to ensure better coordination of resources in the sector.