Project
Technical and vocational training is changing lives in Madagascar
“Thanks to the skills I’ve acquired at the centre and internships in companies during the training, I'll have a better chance of finding a stable, better-paid job that will help me achieve my goals, both professionally and personally,” says 23-year-old Véronique Razafindravelo. She is training to become a machinist at the Ambohidratrimo Vocational Training Centre (CPF), which benefited from the BEAR project during its second phase, from 2017 to 2022.
Developing trainings that align with the job market
The project has significantly enhanced the capacity of the centre’s entire team and upgraded its equipment, while also diversifying its training programmes. Today, the centre is recognized as a pioneer in vocational training for textile and clothing, thanks to the relevance of its courses, the quality of its new equipment and the expertise of its trainers.
"Since 2022, we have been welcoming eighty young people each year into each of the three training programmes developed under the project: methods agent, machinist, and maintenance agent in the textile, clothing and accessories sector. Back in 2018, when the training first began, we had only around twenty young people," explains Jean-Jacques Andriamasy, Director of CFP Ambohidratrimo.
The centre has also increased its collaboration with local businesses, growing from two partners to eleven by 2022, and 85% of learners secure stable employment after completing their training.
Supporting trainers
For Lalasoa Raharison, a machinists and pattern-making instructor at the CFP, it's a source of pride to see that young people who once wandered the streets have been able to benefit from vocational training and are now professionally integrated into local businesses. She trains 30 learners per three-month training cycle, with three promotions a year.
She received both pedagogical and technical training through the project, along with seven other trainers. “Thanks to the skills we acquired during the training and the performance of the equipment, we feel more confident, we are no longer afraid to conduct trainings and we can easily pass on our skills to the learners,” she explains.
The project has also helped them maintain ties with companies to keep up with the sector’s constant evolution. For example, she was able to take part in a three-week training course in a production workshop in a textile export company. Trainers in other disciplines also received similar capacity-building opportunities within companies.
“We are proud and feel a sense of accomplishment seeing that the majority of our trainees have secured stable jobs in textile companies and have improved their standard of living,” says Lalasoa Raharison. “Many women say they can now afford to send their children to school.”
Giving young people better chances to secure a decent job
Véronique Razafindravelo feels very fortunate to have been able to join the centre and follow the machinist training. She previously worked in a textile export company, but her salary was very low. She now wants to gain qualifications that will allow her to access better employment opportunities.
“I decided to train as a machinist at the centre to build a better future. Our trainers are skilled, which made the learning process easier,” she says. “Given the centre’s performance and reputation, I’m confident I’ll find a job and my internship is already scheduled.”
She hopes to continue developing her skills by working in a company and eventually save up to open her own sewing workshop.
Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR) project
The Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR) project is a flagship project dedicated to technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Africa. 91鶹Ʒ been implementing this project in the continent since 2011, with financial support from the Government of the Republic of Korea.
