Improving technical and vocational education and training in Latin America and the Caribbean

Context

In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the employment situation is a key challenge for large sections of the population. Unemployment is high and there is a prevalent informal economy with poor working conditions. Women and young people are particularly affected.

One solution to the employment crisis in LAC is to expand cooperative TVET opportunities geared to the labour market. Such vocational training opportunities have significant potential to improve the employability of TVET graduates and provide the economy with skilled workers, thus contributing to sustainable and inclusive economic development in LAC.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) – one of the largest intergovernmental donors in LAC – therefore wants to make promoting the TVET systems and labour markets in the region a priority. With this goal in mind, it is working with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Objective

The IDB mainstreams knowledge on German labour market oriented cooperative TVET, adapted to the LAC context, in cooperation with its partners.

Approach

The project operates in the following priority areas of action:

• It sends a TVET expert to the IDB to provide expertise on cooperative TVET geared to the labour market.
• It provides knowledge and practical examples of German cooperative TVET and how it can be adapted to LAC, with a focus on gender equality.
• It advises on approaches to assessing the results of TVET interventions in LAC.
• It provides specialist experts to involve the private sector, try out innovative approaches and promote gender equality.

Last update: August 2023