Vocational training for youth

The Vocational training for youth project in Mali, or Chinfinw ka Baara sira (“Young people's path to employment” in the Bamanankan language), is part of the European Union's Multiannual Indicative Programme for the Republic of Mali 2021–2027. It is in line with priority axis 2, "Creation of decent jobs promoting the green economy, " and 3, "Responding to human/basic needs, " as well as the European joint programming for Mali 2020–2024.

The overall objective of this project is to contribute to ensuring citizens’ right to quality education and training through an inclusive, better adapted, coherent and functional education system. The specific objective is to develop a training offer in line with the needs of the labour market and local potential, for young people aged between 15 and 35.

The intervention strategy advocates the involvement of the private sector throughout the training-integration-employment continuum. The project aims to address the needs identified and expressed by the private sector by improving the quality of the diversified and inclusive training on offer, tailored to the skills required by the market. It also facilitates self-entrepreneurship and the socio-professional integration of young people into salaried jobs or self-employment through innovative mechanisms aimed at the most vulnerable.

The three results identified to achieve this specific objective are:

• the supply of training that meets the needs of the labour market is improved;
• the ability of young people, women, people with disabilities and returning migrants to find a job or set up their own business is strengthened;
• mechanisms for dialogue and collaboration between training institutions, local authorities, economic operators and communities are strengthened.

The direct final beneficiaries are young men and women aged between 15 and 35 who are looking for work in the regions of Kayes, Koulikoro, Sikasso and the District of Bamako. Particular attention is paid to the most vulnerable groups, such as girls and young women, people with disabilities and returning migrants. Trainers from partner training operators will also be trained.

The indirect final beneficiaries are the companies in these regions, which will be able to make use of the trained staff and themselves benefit from capacity-building in the expression and gathering of skills needs, and their consideration by the public sector.