Vocational Training and Employment Support Services in Laos

Project Goals

Selected expected results for phase 2 (December 2023 - November 2027):

• 60% of self-employed or wage-employed graduates with an income above the national poverty line.
• 2’015 graduates from short courses (C1 & C2: 1’460; OT: 460; EP: 75) of which 50% are employed.
• 750 C1 & C2 and EP graduates receive PTS.
• Successful implementation of six training courses developed in phase 1, including electric motorbike repair, plus two additional courses developed.
• 1’500 beneficiaries join the full coaching cycle, of which 1'250 graduate, and of which 80% are employed.
• 30 new ESS coaches trained.
• 7 local ESS trainers trained.
• 750 BET graduates, of which 40% qualify for SM and of which 90% are still in business after 6 months.
• 30 new BET trainers trained.
• A funding window for skills training, ESS, BET and SM has been approved by key stakeholders and tested.
• Beneficiaries of the main target group: A minimum of 50% should be female and at least 50% should come from other than the main ethnic group.

Results from Phase 1

• Guidelines for the Equivalency Programme approved on national level, and training programme piloted in 2 provinces with initially 50 participants. EP is a challenging concept with a high drop-out rate.
• 12 national curricula and corresponding training material developed for 4 trades.
• 6 Training of Trainers programmes benefitting 108 trainers conducted of which 26% were female (F 26%).
• 6 capacity development initiatives supported for the IVET schools benefiting 162 key staff members (F 29%).
• 3’649 youth (F 46%) benefitted from skills training. The average employment rate was 43% and the average income increase KIP 2.05 Mio (appx. USD 80)/ per month (most were not earning an income before the training).
• 23 ESS partners engaged and 50 of their staff (F 60%) trained to become coaches for youth.
• 39 coaches qualified for the “Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Coaching for Employment" from Lucerne University of Applied Sciences & Arts (HSLU).
• 854 youth (F 66%) benefitted from the full coaching cycle. The average employment rate was 72% and the average income increase KIP 2.27 Mio (appx USD 90)/ month.
• 409 youth from skills training programmes benefitted from Post-Training Support (specific coaching on “how to look for and get a job”).
• 311 youth (F 79%) from the full coaching cycle benefitted from Basic Entrepreneurship Training (BET).
• 210 of the BET participants qualified for Seed Money and business mentoring during their first 6 months of their business startup. 50% of these pursued their business full time and 20% part time or seasonal after more than 1 year since mentoring stopped.
• Concept, methodology and tools developed for the Challenge Fund (CF).
• 39 CF concept notes were developed out of which 7 CF proposals resulted and 6 were implemented.
• About 3’000 (F43%) individuals benefitted from CF activities.
• CF was stopped after the first round because it is not a suitable concept for the given context.

Outcomes Phase 1 (2019 - 2023)

Underprivileged youth benefit from IVET courses to enhance their employability or to re-enter the education system. 

• Development of the legal basis for the Equivalency Programmes (EP) which allows achieving the Lower Secondary School Certificate back-to-back with vocational training.
• Definition of the financing modality for Certificate 1/ 2/ 3 courses at IVET schools.
• Revision and development of relevant courses, curricula and learning materials.
• Capacity development of IVET teachers and other core staff.
• Provision of C1/ 2/ 3/, EP and mobile training courses to the underprivileged youth.

Underprivileged youth benefit from Coaching for Employment and Entrepreneurship (C4EE) to enhance their chances for wage or self-employment.

• Adaptation of the C4EE concept, successfully introduced by Swisscontact in other countries, to the Lao PDR context.
• Identification and capacity development of C4EE partners and their staff (coaches) to deliver C4EE.
• Provision of C4EE to underprivileged youth.
• Development of the concept and modality for seed money (start-up capital) to be awarded for good self-employment ideas (business plans) developed by underprivileged youth.
• Provision of seed money for selected self-employment ideas.

Stakeholders in the TVET system contribute to improved performance regarding access, delivery and quality of IVET training and Employment Support Services (ESS) through innovations on organisational, institutional and systems level.

• Development of the concept and modality for the challenge Fund (CF) to finance  innovative projects that lead to improved access, delivery and quality of IVET training and ESS.
• Dissemination of information about the CF, and orientation and capacity building of interested CF applicants to support the development of their project concepts and proposals.
• Selection and financing of the projects qualifying for CF support.