Program Improvement Competitive Grant (PICG)-supported Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) courses succeeded in strengthening linkages between TVET providers and large employers’ skills needs, thereby driving this project’s improved performance relative to past TVET programs. In particular, internships, dual employment and training programs, and direct relationships between training providers and employers all contributed to improved employment outcomes. MCC is addressing this lesson by investing in TVET provider governance models that are more responsive to employer needs in Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, and Kosovo. While employers lauded certain PICG-supported courses which introduced students to the latest technology, other courses did not offer practical, hands-on experience with machinery, equipment and technology, and safety protocols. The lack of hands-on training can be remedied through employer mentorship arrangements and workplace-based training. Substantial hands-on experience during training and/or expanding the number of internships or amount of workplace-based training offered may provide valuable experience where trainees may not have prior experience and would further boost employment outcomes. In the future, MCC should ensure that TVET programs include practical/hands-on training both in the classroom and through internships/workplace-based training.
Lesson Learned