Monthly Report: The project for promoting youth employment through automotive maintenance skills training in Sierra Leone
08.05.2023
Project Team pays courtesy visit on Minister of Technical and Higher Education
The fact sheet with overview and plans for the project
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), in cooperation with the Government of Japan, the Government of Sierra Leone launched the “The project for promoting youth employment through automotive maintenance skills training” in Sierra Leone from 2021. This web page will provide regular updates on the progress and status of this project.
Ranking 181st out of 189 countries and territories on the Human DevelopmentIndex ranking, Sierra Leone remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In a country where youth constitute a third of the population, youth unemployment and underemployment stands at a staggering 70%, with approximately 800,000 youths actively searching for employment today.
In the automotive repair and maintenance service industry in Sierra Leone, expanding vehicle registrations and increasing transport imports point to its potential for growth and job creation. However, the industry struggles to find workers who are able to meet the relevant auto mechanic skills requirements.One of the root causes for this skills mismatch is the insufficient and defective technical and vocational education and training (TVET)system, which does not correspond to the economic realities outside the school system.
The proposed project aims to contribute to closing the skills gap in Sierra Leone’s automotive aftermarket industry in order to support the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2019-2023 and to contribute to decent employment opportunities for youth in Sierra Leone.
Monthly Reports
Results for April in 2023
The “Automotive and Entrepreneurship Training Needs Assessment (TNA)” report is finalized. The findings of the report will be presented to the relevant stakeholders of the project.
The chart and roadmap for the curriculum development have been completed. As for the second phase, the development of standards and qualifications has been launched.
The project team visited eight Governmental Technical Institutes (GTI)s in seven different districts in Sierra Leone to assess the training level and find areas of cooperation.
A mission was organized to Accra, Ghana for GTI management staff and Instructors to obtain visa to Japan for the upcoming Study Tour in June. The mission included a study tour in three Training Institutions for GTI beneficiaries to learn more about the TVET system in Ghana, specifically the Automotive sector.
Data Collection for “Automotive and Entrepreneurship Training Needs Assessment (TNA)” completed, and the report including the findings will be finalized by April 2023.
Two days workshop was organized with the National Council for Technical Vocational & other Academic Awards (NCTVA) with the presence of relevant stakeholders to launch the development of National Automotive Curricula. The process was followed by a series of online and in person meetings with the relevant stakeholders.
UNIDO project team in consultation with a team of technical experts completed the rehabilitation specifications and an international bid will be launched in April 2023.
The assessment of Automotive Trainers from the Governmental Technical Institute (GTI) supported by the project, has been completed and development of Training of Trainer plan will be finalized by April 2023.
Mission plan and logistics have been set for an in country mission to the Automotive Training centers of GTIs across Sierra Leone to discuss areas of collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Training for “Automotive and Entrepreneurship Training Needs assessment questionnaire” data collectors is completed, and the enumerators are in the process of collecting data from the Automotive Industry Market players.
Meeting was held with the Director of National Council for Technical Vocational & other Academic Awards where we selected national and international experts to work on the modernization of the national Automotive curricula of Sierra Leone.
UNIDO project team in consultation with team of technical experts completed the technical specifications for training vehicles procurements.
The rehabilitation specifications will be completed in April 2023.
Series of discussions were held with Toyota Training Academy in Kenya, West African Vehicle Academy in Ghana and Kigima Training center in South Africa to finalize the schedule plan of Training of Trainers in these Training centers.
Several meetings were held with GIZ and Don Bosco who are also interested to be engaged after completion of the Automotive Training center.
Automotive and Entrepreneurship Training Needs assessment questionnaire is completed and approved by the key stakeholders of the project.
Meeting held with the National Council for Technical Vocational & other Academic Awards during which the roadmap to develop national curriculum has been agreed.
UNIDO project team in consultation with team of technical experts started developing technical specifications for equipment, training vehicles and rehabilitation work.
Project Steering committee meeting has been held to discuss the progress of the project and whereby the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework has been approved.
Meeting held with relevant committee members and the Workplan 2023 completed and has been approved.
2 staff from Freetown Polytechnic and Ministry of Technical and Higher Education Completed online and on-campus training on Vocational Training Management with ICTILO
Information Technology training for 8 Freetown Polytechnic staff Completed
Site visits to complete the layout development for the Centre of Excellence
