Strengthening and delivering technical vocational skills training
At the onset of the project, some training centers existed in Beledweyne; however most operated with limited training equipment and raw materials, poor curricula, underqualified staff and dilapidated infrastructure. Additionally, few centers met the demands of the private sector and therefore stifle economic growth and the potential of industries taking root. To ensure that proposed training areas reflect demand side forces, PHF’s technical staff together with local government officials conducted joint technical assessments and surveys of training institutes, trades workshops, and other micro-enterprises and held mixed surveys to identify problems encountered by small producers in Beledweyne. All accessible training institutions in Beledweyne were assessed. Most were established in the last 5 years and owned and managed by individuals from Beledweyne. PHF recommended to work with several institutions with the highest potential for impact and sustainability. After a series of consultations with local stakeholders, due to the potential backlash in the community, it was deemed only plausible to work with existing training facilities and not the private sector as potentially envisaged.
