Vocational Training in the Information and Technology Sector

Project description

Title: Vocational Training in the Information and Technology Sector
Commissioned by: Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ)
Country: Uzbekistan
Lead executing agency: Centre for Specialised Secondary and Vocational Training (CSSVT) of the Ministry of Higher and Specialised Secondary Education (MHSSE) of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Overall term: May 2003 to April 2008

Context

The successor countries to the former Soviet Union are presently not even close to achieving their former educational levels. Uzbekistan is no exception: as a percentage of gross national product, government expenditures from 1992 to 2001 for the education sector fell from 12 percent to 7 percent. Despite the education reform adopted in 1997, the country has not so far succeeded in establishing a job-market-driven training system. Education content and design fail to meet the market-economy demands of Uzbekistan’s industry, all the more since the planned privatisation will lead to a further loss of jobs.

Uzbekistan particularly needs qualified experts, especially in the area of information and communication technology. The training courses now in existence are characterised by a lack of cooperation with the private sector. The severe lack of experts stands in contrast to a rapid increase in the number of persons of wage-earning age: between 1994 and 2001, their number climbed from 1,700,000 to 12,600,000, while the number of those employed rose by only 800,000. So there is an urgent need for action, especially when it is taken into account that ca. 43 percent of the population are younger than 16. The government of Uzbekistan is staking its hopes on the employment openings to be generated by the expanding service sector.

Objective

The project supports the necessary structural transformation to a competition-oriented, service-based society. Occupational profiles will be oriented to the requirements of the job market, and the international competitive capacity of economic growth sectors will be sustainably strengthened. The resulting improvement in the income situation of the target groups contributes to poverty reduction.

Additionally, all measures are intended to contribute to reducing unemployment among young people. Vocational training geared to the future will be offered in order to integrate young people into the job market. Indirectly, this will also decisively counteract the social marginalisation of young people and the problems that result from it.

Approach

At the government level, the Centre for Specialised Secondary and Vocational Training, under the Ministry of Higher and Specialised Secondary Education, will receive advisory services on designing and implementing vocational training reform in the information technology field. In concert with all participants, company-supported training structures will be developed jointly by private sector and state educational organisations. Companies will play a part in setting modern training standards – to date, 240 enterprises have already been enlisted for cooperation.

At 14 technical colleges in 11 Uzbek cities, new occupational profiles are being taught that correspond to market needs. Teachers are trained in modern instructional and teaching methods, so that they will be able in future to communicate their knowledge and experience in up-to-date terms. The technical equipment of these colleges, including teaching and learning aids, is financed by the KfW Entwicklungsbank (KfW development bank).