Enhancing Employability Through Vocational Training

Project Profile

The EEVT Project is implemented by the Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA) and international development charity VSO, in partnership with BG Tanzania. The EEVT project (Enhancing Employability through Vocational Training) aims at improving the employability of young people in the regions of Mtwara and Lindi, with a focus on the growing demand for skilled labour in the gas industry and related services. Over 2 years, VETA teachers and their students will be trained by tutors from VSO. On the long run, VETA will be capable of producing a steady stream of qualified craftsmen and teachers.

More than 620 students from VETA Mtwara and more than 224 students from VETA Lindi are benefiting from the project. The number of students benefiting from the project will continue to increase as more students continue to join for both short and long courses while others graduating as from 2014. 4 Teachers from VETA Lindi and 7 VETA Mtwara are also part of beneficiaries in this project through capacity building (training by City and Guilds) and also one-on one coaching from VSO technical advisors.

The EEVT project is governed by the signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) which among other things stipulates the role of each partner to the project. GIZ, VETA, VSO Tanzania and Tanzania LNG have signed the MOU which provides the framework of all operations and project activities
in a model of partnership approach. On 10th October 2013, the three partners have also signed another MOU for EEVT VETA Lindi extension in the presence of Hon. First Lady Mama Salma Kikwete who was the Guest of Honour during inauguration of the project in Lindi. Prior the Lindi inauguration, the same project was also inaugurated in November 2012 by Hon. Dr. Mohamed Gharib
Bilal at VETA Mtwara. The project steering committee, with membership representation from GIZ, VETA, Tanzania LNG and VSO Tanzania, is the top overseer and decisive body of the project.

Since 2014, the project has scaled up in terms of support and recognition where more extractive companies have joined their forces to support the project. Currently, the project is supported by GIZ and Tanzania LNG Plant Project - a joint venture combined of 5 major O&G companies (BG Group, Ophir, Pavilion Energy, ExxonMobil and Statoil). The first phase of the project ended in December 2015 (2012-2015) and the second was extended for the next 2 years from January 2016 to December 2017.

Among the notable and key components covered in phase includes industry Links program, Capacity of Centers, Quality of Training, International Accreditation and Career Matching. These five components form the basis of EEVT phase two project where a block system approach will be introduced and placing industry links at the core of the project. In addition, phase two has added three new trades based on the experience of phase one; scaffolding, plant operator and industrial painting of which the training is expected to be provided in short course basis.

Jumamosi, 29 Agosti 2015

A glance on EEVT Project (Before and After 2014) - Preparing young people in Mtwar and Lindi for opportunities

Ijumaa, 21 Agosti 2015

EEVT Project in the eyes of the communities in Mtwara town

EEVT Project has been well presented during community action days (CAD) which were organized by "International Citizenship Service - ICS" program. The ICS program works within existing VSO projects like EEVT where UK volunteers and Tanzanian national volunteers teamed up to compliment soft skills activities and awareness to both the vocational centers as well as to the communities; Key strategic areas were identified to be undertaken by ICS program which included; marketing and promotion, peer to peer education, English language skills, monitoring and evaluation, and awareness raising; below is one of the CAD event as part of community awareness raising

Use of community based arts groups is essential for community awareness as well for drawing attention to the communities. These are Mundu Arts Group from Mtwara during the community action day that was organized to inform communities about EEVT and ICS program

Mudu Arts Group in action for project awareness!!! Mtwara and Lindi are two famous regions for local dancing. It is a potential that is used to educate and inform communities about development issues.

National volunteer (right) giving some information to one of the community member who wanted to know more about ICS and EEVT project. Such kinds of interviews facilitated closer understanding about how EEVT works.

A group of UK and Tanzanian volunteers introducing themselves to the public before starting the community action day event

The ICS volunteers from UK (Mathew) listening to the young boy during community action day event in Mtwara. These events were used to inform the communities about EEVT project as well as how communities can benefit from the project.

Ijumaa, 19 Septemba 2014

Lord Hollick and British High Commissioner

VETA Mtwara Hosting Lord Hollick and British High Commissioner for a project visit

Diana Melrose; British High Commissioner (C) together with food production students in a group photo

Lord Hollick (C) and Claude - VSO food production advisor (L) during a discussion in a new kitchen which was constructed by VETA and all new equipment were supported by EEVT project

Salome Makamba (L); Community Liaison Officer from Tanzania LNG taking her share of cake during the visit to Food production kitchen - VETA Mtwara

Diana Melrose; British High Commissioner (C) during her visit motor vehicle mechanics

Lord Hollick (R) during his visit in Motor vehicle mechanics

Diana Melrose (British High Commissioner - L) together with Lord Hollick (third from left) during a visit to EEVT project at VETA Mtwara

Jumamosi, 26 Aprili 2014

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENTARY SOCIAL SERVICE COMMITTEE; A VISIT TO EEVT PROJECT AT VETA MTWARA

Regional Director (South East Zone for VETA) Mr. Soko, giving answers to questions posed by MPs about the EEVT project and VETA in general

Hon. J. Mhagama giving clarifications to MPs during a meeting at VETA Mtwara

Hon. Prof. Kahigi (MP) giving remarks and asking questions for clarifications during a meeting after workshop tour

Chairperson of the Social Service Committee, Hon. M. Sitta giving remarks during the visit to VETA Mtwara for EEVT project

Hon. J. Mhagama in a photo with Dora - Public Relation Officer; VETA HQ

Hon. J. Mhagama in a photo with Mr. J. Kibehele (VETA Mtwara Principal) at the food preparation kitchen

MPs at the food preparation kitchen where EEVT project is also implemented.

MPs during their tour to the work where EEVT project is implemented

Members of Parliamentary Social Service Committee, VETA staff and Deputy Minister (MoVET) in a group photos at VETA Mtwara.

Deputy Minister of MoEVT, J. Mhagama (L) giving remarks during the short briefing the meeting at VETA Mtwara

VETA Students at Mtwara Port

Dennis (R) and Justine (L) the former VETA students working at the gas company - ASCO at the port as taken during project at the port

Welding screen is part of the health, safety and environment procedure during welding process.

Welding and fabrication is one of the skills required by gas companies

One of the former students from VETA employed by gas company at Mtwara port.

Jumamosi, 9 Novemba 2013

PRESS RELEASE - Vocational Skills Gaps for the Tanzanian Oil and Gas Sector

Press Release

Dar es Salaam, 5^th November 2013 – The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (MoEVT), the Vocational Education Training Authority (VETA), BG Tanzania and VSO jointly organized yesterday a workshop on the vocational skills gaps for the growing Tanzanian oil and gas sector. The aim of the workshop was to share, discuss and validate the conclusions of an in-depth assessment study of the vocational training gaps that has been conducted by BG in collaboration with VETA, Stow College and VSO in the last 3 months.

Tanzania is currently facing a significant gap between the skills the economy needs and the skills the education system delivers. In order to meet Government aspirations for Tanzania to become a Middle Income Country by 2025, as set out in its Vision 2025, there needs to be an overall increase of 20% of medium skilled labour, especially in certified trades and crafts. This is particularly evident in gas sector related skills, where without further training very few are likely to be able to access employment opportunities beyond the lowest level of skills.

The workshop was chaired by the Director of Technical and Vocational Training of the MoEVT, Mr. Thomas Dickson Katebalirwe, and involved more than 60 representatives from Government, private sector, donor partners and civil society.

The workshop concluded the following:

- The largest numbers of direct and indirect employment opportunities in relation to the emerging gas sector will be generated during the construction of infrastructure, including a potential LNG development estimated to commence 2016/17. Most of these opportunities will be of a vocational nature.

- There are a number of transferable vocational trades (eg pipe welding, carpentry, electrician) which have been identified as being relevant to the emerging gas sector which would provide the country with a sustainable asset that could benefit the country’s development more generally.

- There are already a number of VETA institutes providing training in these transferable vocational trades to around 17,000 students. In the short term, the priority focus should therefore be on improving the quality of these programmes to ensure that these and subsequently enrolled students become employable graduates. Ensuring these programmes meet international industry standards is critical.

- There is a clear role for industry to support these efforts, but achieving these ambitious objectives will require a wider collaboration between government, industry, NGOs, practitioners and development partners.

- There are already several Tanzanian successes being delivered with existing resources, including among others, VETA’s existing partnership programme with BG Tanzania and VSO in Mtwara and Lindi. These are delivering impressive results in terms of improvements in both quality and capacity. There is a need for a coordination mechanism to be set up to enhance dialogue with key actors and consolidate and scale up these Tanzanian successes.

The Director of Technical and Vocational Training of the MoEVT welcomed the coordination efforts and said that “the MoEVT was committed to further invest in technical and vocational education training and coordinate efforts of various stakeholders in the field”.

VETA director of training Leah Lukindo emphasized on the “willingness of VETA to reinforce its links with the industry to make the VETA curriculum more relevant to their needs”.

BG East Africa Vice President for Sustainability Kathryn McPhail said “BG was delighted to be working in partnership with VETA and VSO to enhance the employability of local people in Tanzania and that current initiatives taken by BG Tanzania in Mtwara and Lindi were already showing positive effects.”

VSO country director Jean Van Wetter “welcomed the willingness from stakeholders to coordinate their efforts and highlighted that the current workshop was just the beginning of more collaboration in the sector”.

Another workshop will be organized in the coming weeks to set-up agreed coordination mechanisms and start to scale up successful initiatives.

For more information, please contact:
1. BG Tanzania: Kate Sullam, Social Performance Manager at PCATanzania@bg-group.com
2. VETA: Leah Lukindo, Director of Training, at leahdotto@yahoo.com
3. VSO: Jean Van Wetter, Country Director, at jean.vanwetter@vsoint.org

Enhancing Employability Through Vocational Training - EEVT Project

Partners implementing the EEVT project