Enhanced Skills for Sustainable and Rewarding Employment (ENSSURE)(Main Credit)

Project completed

In Nepal, 450,000 youths enter the labour market yearly but remain un- or underemployed. Through ENSSURE, 21’000 youths will increase their employability by attending company-based trainings such as apprenticeships and further training of workers, combined with off-the-job systematic courses[1].The strong collaboration between the Ministry of Education and industry associations will increase the skill level of workers; thus labor productivity and will lead  to more decent employment.

 

 

 

[1] Systematic courses could be: Pre-employment basics, day or block release for related trade theory, pre-assessment course, etc.

 

 

 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Nepal
Employment & economic development
Vocational training
Governance
nothemedefined
Employment creation
Vocational training
SME development
Decentralisation
01.08.2014 - 15.07.2023
CHF  13’400’000
Background

As the Constituent Assembly again failed to meet its deadline of January 2015, the political uncertainties related to the most contested issue, i.e. the future state structure, remain. The economy grows at between 4-5% mainly due to the enormous inflow of remittances but the gap between regions and disadvantaged groups and the rest has widened. Of the 450,000 women and men entering the labour market each year, 80% have not finished high school and are unskilled. To provide youth with skills and employment options, Switzerland started the Employment Fund (EF) project which made a major impact on the expansion and inclusion properties of the national TVET system by modelling and activating a new breed of skills development providers, with a strong focus on disadvantaged groups and a flexible response to labour market opportunities. Despite the Swiss contribution and the complementry support from other donors and efforts by the Government of Nepal, the TVET sector has been able to benefit only 100’000 youth per year with its services.At the same time, the private sector is short of skilled workers which is considered to be one major reason for low productivity.

Objectives

The overall goal of this intervention is: Nepali workers, particularly from disadvantaged groups, benefit from continuous employment and an improved standard of living.

Workers will have access to better quality trainings; hence companies will benefit from better skilled workers and pass on the gains in productivity and profitability in the form of fairer pay and a safer working environment. The combination of better skilled workers and higher pay will lead to better chances of workers for uninterrupted employment and an improved standard of living.

Medium-term outcomes
  • Workers (women and men) have improved their employability
  • Partner companies have established a favorable work environment
  • TVET system is expanded and more inclusive of the private sector
Results

Expected results:  

  • Young women and men have access to career guidance services
  • Job seekers have access to skills trainings
  • Workers have access to trainings at different levels to  complement, upgrade or specialize their skills such as apprenticeships and short courses
  • Partner companies have prepared and implemented HR plans for the development of their workforce
  • Partner companies  are  enabled to improve occupational health and safety of workers
  • CTEVT in collaboration with the private sector has designed and implemented industry-based courses
  • TVET providers[1]from the public and private sector have enhanced their capacity to implement new approaches
  • TVET training providers, target companies and industry associations have established effective collaboration


 

[1]        Training institutions, training companies and the industry associations


Results from previous phases:  

A study of the occupational skills demand in 9 economic sub-sectors and the attitude of stakeholders to occupational trainings documented considerable absorption potential for better skilled workers. Employers said 95% of their workers were initially unskilled and then partly trained on the job but lacked theoretical underpinnings of their skills and systematic addressing of their performance gaps. Industry representatives expressed a keen interest to participate in efforts to improve the skill-base of their workforce. Subsequent consultations with industry associations, training providers and officials of the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) confirmed strong support for the systematic inclusion of industry associations in the design and delivery of trainings. It hence was decided that ENSSURE will introduce company-based training, including apprenticeships, upgrading of the existing workforce to higher levels of competencies and on short courses including on-the-job training (OJT) for job seekers.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
Private sector
Swiss Non-profit Organisation
  • HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation
  • Foreign private sector North
  • Foreign private sector South/East


Other partners

DFID (to be confirmed)

Coordination with other projects and actors

Coordination with major TVET donors (World Bank, ADB, EU and KOICA). Synergies with Swiss projects, i.e. SaMi, NVQS, SIP, LRIP; LRBP

Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    13’400’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    11’487’906
Project phases Phase 2 16.07.2021 - 15.07.2025   (Current phase)

Phase 1 01.08.2014 - 15.07.2023   (Completed)