Vocational Skills Development Project

The Vocational Skills Development Program (VSDP) aims to improve the access of women and men from disadvantaged groups to quality vocational skills development (VSD) programs which results in employment or self-employment opportunities in the world of work. 

The significant lack of an appropriately skilled workforce in Myanmar, particularly for vocational occupations, is seen as a major factor restraining the economy’s potential for growth. In order to support its economy, Myanmar needs a committed, experienced and skilled workforce. To achieve this, there is a need to improve the quality, access and relevance of vocational skills development (VSD), especially for those with limited education and economic opportunities. Strengthened public-private partnerships in VSD are essential for implementing policies and skills development related initiatives that address existing labour market needs. 

To tackle these challenges, VSDP contributes to improve the VSD system and to make it more inclusive and relevant in Myanmar. It works closely with the private and public sectors and targets learners in ways which ensure high relevance of training to labour market demands.

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Mawalamyine, Myanmar
16.565125
97.635059
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yangon, myanmar
16.844224957272488
96.17695922753904
Project duration
2014 - 2022
Financed by
  • Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC

The project

VSDP promotes employment and income opportunities through market-oriented vocational training and improved labour market access in partnership with over 150 private sector partners and related Government organisations.

Program goal

To contribute to improved livelihood opportunities for women and men in targeted areas and occupations in Myanmar. 

VSDP 1 was implemented from February 2014 to April 2018. Implementation of VSDP 2 started in May 2018 and will last until April 2022. Intervention Areas are:

Skills for semi-urban and rural areas

The Program targets learners from disadvantaged backgrounds in targeted areas and provides them with skills development opportunities in occupations of demand which include tailor, sales clerk, house wirer, beautician, mason, plumber and rural mechanic. It works in partnership with government ministries and training institutes for the implementation of short technical and life skills courses. Post-training support, such as counselling, employers’ days and job fairs is also provided by the Program to facilitate access to employment and self-employment opportunities.  

In the same geographic areas, the Program also provides selected entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs with the opportunity to gain improved entrepreneurial skills.

Skills for Hospitality sector

In areas with high tourist numbers, the Program focuses on providing skills development in selected hospitality occupations. The Program strengthens the capacity of hotel supervisors at partner hotels to deliver training to line staff and learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Program is working with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism (MoHT) to support its capacity for vocational skills development within Myanmar as well as its integration of hospitality professionals into ASEAN.

Dual Apprenticeship training

The Program implements dual apprenticeship training initially for cooks and agricultural machinery mechanics based on the Swiss dual training approach. Apprentices receive a wage from the companies and are trained for 18 months on- and off-the-job. The apprenticeship training integrates core and advanced technical skills, as well as other essential competencies, such as life skills. Additionally, the Program builds capacity of workplace supervisors at partner private sector companies and of the government officials in technical training schools.

Policy and stakeholder engagement

The Program provides technical support and inputs to government stakeholders on VSD related policies and implementation approaches. It also engages with public and private stakeholders in selected states and regions to encourage coordination on skills development activities, as well as to gather information on the local labour market to identify skills development priorities. The Program works directly with the National Skills Standards Authority (NSSA) to support the development and realisation of a national system for skills testing and certification.

Project partner

  • INBAS (Institute for Vocational Training, Labour Market and Social Policy)
  • Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation
  • Ministry of Education
  • Ministry of Labour, Immigration, and Population
  • Ministry of Hotels and Tourism

Results

Expected results
  • 15,000 women and men from disadvantaged backgrounds are empowered and benefit from improved livelihood opportunities.
  • 650 hotel supervisors and 50 practitioners or government technical high school demonstrators have the necessary skills to act as trainers.
  • Locally-owned implementing partners are capacitated to manage and effectively deliver market-relevant vocational training courses.
  • Companies and government training institutes increasingly collaborate to implement dual apprenticeship training.
  • Evidence-based inputs have contributed to discussions on relevant government TVET policies and strategies.
  • Skills standards for selected hospitality occupations have been developed with relevant stakeholders.
  • Contributions to the further development of the VSD testing and certification system are made.

Videos

Swisscontact Promotes Inclusive Economic Development
The Vocational Skills Development Program (VSDP) aims to improve livelihood opportunities for women and men from disadvantaged backgrounds in targeted areas and occupations in Myanmar.
Pa-O Ethnic Affairs Minister shares her perspective on partnering with the VSDP
Pa-O, Ethnic Affairs Minister, Daw San Wint Khine, reflects on her journey partnering with Swisscontact and how it led to local, regional and institutional impacts.
A Day in the life of a VSDP Graduate (Sales clerk)
In this video, Nan Kay Kay Kyaw talks about how she pursued her ambition to become a sales clerk after she received VSDP skills training.
Introduction to the National Skills Standards Authority
The National Skills Standards Authority NSSA helps to bring together the needs of jobseekers and employers.
Swisscontact Report: Apprenticeship in Asia
The report looks at existing apprenticeships systems in select Asian countries with varying contexts and highlights what the success factors of creating these systems are.

News

Myanmar
Initial vocational education and training
01.03.2021
Ensuring equal participation of women and men in vocational skills development
The Vocational Skills Development Programme in Myamar implements various measures to ensure that women and men from disadvantaged groups have equal access to training opportunities.
Myanmar
Sustainable tourism
07.01.2021
Cooking in quarantine: 
VSDP Cook apprentices learn valuable skills 
Cook apprentices of the Vocational Skills Development Program (VSDP) in Myanmar have shown that even in the face of extreme adversity there lies opportunity. Whilst thousands of jobs have been lost and every economic sector affected by the COVID-19 virus, the tourism and hospitality sector has arguably been the worst hit. Hotels, bars and restaurants have been forced to close and as a result thousands of people have lost their jobs.
Myanmar
11.06.2020
VSDP Supports COVID-19 Response in Kayin and Mon States
COVID-19 response programs and quarantine centres, especially those targeting semi-urban and rural communities in Myanmar, where the majority of vulnerable segments of society reside, need support to continue their preventive and curative measures in response to the virus.