Great potential lies in Vocational Education and Training (VET) seizing investment/employment opportunities to the benefit of the local population. Where investors and employers find the required skills locally, sustainable social and economic development can be boosted. High time to rethink what ‘quality VET’ means: can VET take up the lead and collaborate with investors/employers in an agile way through innovative training strategies and future-oriented skills development programmes?
During this session, speakers and audience debated how to revamp the VET system in co-creation with the private sector, to effectively cater for current and future skills needs, using digital and green solutions and striving for equity and decent employment for all.
Synopsis
Panellists discussed the biggest concerns of investors in sub-Saharan Africa, including how the perception of corruption and lack of transparency can lead to uncertainty and trust issues for investors, as well as risks related to conflict.
Changes in the expectations of VET were explored; for example, to produce a qualified workforce, the VET system needs to be structured in a way that there is no mismatch between employment opportunities and training. The need to widen training to include soft skills, such as digital competencies, was emphasised, as was the requirement to learn what investors need in terms of human resources.
