Supporting youth employability through e-apprenticeships via industry advisory committees

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The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is spearheading a range of initiatives to enhance youth employability through e-apprenticeships (skilled trades acquired through on-the-job training) and open distance learning (ODL).

These apprenticeship programs are tailored to meet current skills demand in partner countries. In collaboration with institutions such as Yaba College of Technology and Auchi Polytechnic in Nigeria, Luanshya Technical and Business College (LTBC) in Zambia, and the Kenya School of TVET (KSTVET), these partnerships aim to equip apprentices with relevant skills for decent employment opportunities, aligning with COL’s e-apprenticeship model.

Fostering partnerships between formal TVET regulatory bodies, institutions and enterprises, as well as social solidarity groups and the private sector, empower youth and lifelong learners. This collaborative effort aims to enhance the quality and relevance of apprenticeships through work-integrated learning and blended learning, particularly training conducted at enterprise-based training centres.

COL promotes the establishment of Industry Advisory Committees (IAC) to ensure the quality, standards and relevance of e-apprenticeships through oversight and review of course designs, training practices and assessments. The IAC includes representatives from government and regulatory authorities, the private sector, social solidarity groups, industry experts and trainers. The committees’ aim is to enhance employability and skills development among the youth for decent jobs by assessing the quality of training, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange, shaping programmes to meet industry standards, providing insights into trends and influencing policy with industry perspectives. Recently, an IAC was inaugurated at LTBC in Zambia with COL’s support – an event attended by Ms Khadija M Sakala, Assistant Director of Entrepreneurship Development from the Ministry of Technology and Science. She emphasised the critical role of the IAC in aligning apprenticeship training with government regulations and industry standards, ensuring high-quality education that meets the needs of the workforce and the nation.

Mr Robert Okinda, COL’s Skills Adviser, said that IACs play a crucial role within COL’s e-apprenticeship model. He explained that these committees are integral to establishing implementation frameworks and promoting social dialogue, ensuring that apprenticeship training through ODL aligns with industry needs. They also help to maintain exacting standards for master craftspersons and e-apprenticeship programmes as mandated by qualification authorities.

COL is supporting partner institutions in enhancing IACs to foster quality e-apprenticeships, aligning with the 2023 International Labour Organization’s  Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation No. 208 adopted during the 111th International Labour Conference.

Image caption: IAC Members at LTBC on a visit to Nakadoli Furniture Makers Union in Zambia, May 2024

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