How digitization is driving skills projects forward

Upskilling and Reskilling, Labour market insertion
07.05.2021
Projects implemented by Swisscontact around the world had to adapt to the changed circumstances in the pandemic year 2020. Digitization not only demanded new skills from the learners, but also posed major challenges for the projects in how they provide skills training. Social Media and easy-to-use applications and tools have played a big role in overcoming some of the challenges. For example, in Kosovo, where the project “Promoting Private Sector Employment” aims to improve competitiveness of market actors and inclusion of women farmers.

Kosovo: Coaching female farmers via instant messaging

The challenge:

When the Government ordered a lockdown, training for women farmers on cultivating medicinal aromatic plants and bringing them to the market could not be held in person.

The solution:

The project staff in collaboration with a partner organisation, the ORGANIKA association, invited women of five companies in different regions to join the training on an instant messaging platform commonly used by rural women in the country.

“Innovation is not about using the newest technology, but about finding the right tools that have an effect on people’s learning and lives.”

Linda Baleta, PR & Communications Manager Swisscontact Kosovo

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Bangladesh: Using Facebook video and developing an e-learning platform

The challenge:

The project ASTHA (Achieving Sustainability Towards Healthcare Access) has been facilitating the training of some 5’000 young adults as skilled health workers since 2011. The biggest Covid-related restriction was limited mobility, which led the students into an unprecedented educational crisis.

 The solution:

One of the measures used to inform licenced graduates in communities about Covid-19 was through streaming scientific webinars on the project’s existing Facebook page in spring 2020. The project team provided three days on-site “orientation meetings” for 40 trainers from 12 schools, training them hands-on how to effectively support online learning with tools such as Google Classroom, Zoom or Padlet. The focus was on online pedagogy in practical training and 1:1 trouble shooting was also set in place.

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Bolivia: An app to identify potential career paths

The challenge:

The “Technical Vocational Training project” fosters equal access to technical training and lifelong education and promotes youth employment. Online tools to help guide the young people became vital with the changing context of the pandemic.

The solution:

«Descubre tu vocación» (discover your vocation) is a free didactic tool to guide young people in choosing their vocational training. The app is also suitable for teachers who want to help their students find a profession matching their skills. The questionnaire asks about interests, preferences, aptitudes, and aspirations. At the end of the test, the user can access information on training centres such as technological institutes, courses at alternative education centres.

 

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