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  3. In Kigali, a Forum Asks: Can Africa’s Skills Revolution Succeed Without the Private Sector?

In Kigali, a Forum Asks: Can Africa’s Skills Revolution Succeed Without the Private Sector?

Rwanda
Initial vocational education and training
18.06.2025
In a dimly lit conference hall at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, murmurs of anticipation gave way to pointed discussion - not of if, but how African economies must reimagine education to meet the demands of a fast-shifting labour market. 

On June 4th, Swisscontact Rwanda hosted a pivotal session at the Future Skills Forum 2025, gathering voices from across the continent under one guiding question: How relevant is our skills development if the private sector remains on the sidelines?

With over 80% of businesses in the region operating informally, the implications are stark. Jobs may exist, but not always the skills to fill them. And so, the session-
"The Relevance of Skills Development: Private Sector Engagement in TVET"
- took on urgent significance.
Roman Troxler, Country Director of Swisscontact Rwanda, opens the session by emphasising the importance of skills systems that are rooted in industry realities and responsive to labour market needs.

A Shift in Perception, A Shift in Power

Facilitated by Swisscontact’s Roman Troxler, the session began with a revealing poll. Barely 5% of attendees had themselves undergone Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET). Yet over 30% reported that their children were currently enrolled or had recently completed such programmes.

This generational shift signals more than changing attitudes - it reflects a recalibration of economic survival strategies. As Rwanda’s economy evolves, families are turning toward skills-based learning not as a fallback, but as a first choice.

"TVET reform takes time and a shift in mindset,"
one participant reflected. 
"But when businesses are involved from the beginning, both youth and enterprises benefit."

This is the heart of the dual Vocational Education and Training (dVET) model, a system Swisscontact has long championed across Africa. Its premise is disarmingly simple: pair classroom learning with hands-on workplace experience, to the benefit of students, training institutions, and - critically - the companies themselves.

Jimmy Deylon, Project Manager for PropelA dual apprenticeship programme at Swisscontact Kenya, shares insights from the programme, showcasing how dual apprenticeship models co-designed with businesses are reshaping vocational training for young people.

East and West, Lessons Across Borders

From Nairobi to Abidjan, speakers offered grounded examples of what’s possible when local industries are not treated as stakeholders of last resort but as co-designers of curricula and co-investors in youth development.

In Kenya, the PropelA programme has brokered partnerships with over 30 companies, where apprentices spend up to 75% of their training in real work environments. Employers go a step further - contributing to school fees and stipends - a quiet revolution of co-ownership in the skills development space.

Dr. Harish Banderi, CEO of Atlas Plumbers and private sector representative from Kenya, speaks passionately about the value of African-driven solutions in TVET reform, urging the private sector to take a leading role in co-creating training models that reflect market needs.
"There is an African solution. It’s about taking the initiative."
said Dr. Harish, a private sector leader from Kenya. 

This sentiment resonated in Kigali, where Rwandan educators, policymakers, and employers echoed a collective imperative: skills development must be both market-relevant and youth-responsive. The dual challenge, and opportunity, is to meet young people where they are - and take them somewhere better.

In Step with Rwanda’s Vision 2050

As Rwanda eyes its long-term aspirations under Vision 2050, skills development is no longer a social programme- it is national strategy. The plan envisions a modern agribusiness sector, a digitally equipped youth, and a competitive economy built on homegrown solutions.

Swisscontact’s presence in Rwanda supports these ambitions through projects like PROMOST, AgroInnovation, CASA, and Supporting Dual Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Rwanda, which collectively aim to:

  • Improve rural youth employability
  • Support the transition from informal to formal business practices
  • Strengthen food systems and foster agripreneurship
  • Co-create resilient training systems with public and private actors

These efforts are more than development rhetoric; they are essential scaffolding for inclusive economic transformation.

Swisscontact’s Roman Troxler joins stakeholders in a focused roundtable to explore how partnerships can unlock systemic impact and ensure skills development remains inclusive and sustainable.

The Path Forward: Real Skills, Real Work

In a region where young people outnumber opportunities, relevance has become the new gold standard. And relevance, the Forum concluded, is forged in proximity - to industry, to market realities, and to the aspirations of the next generation.

Swisscontact Rwanda remains committed to this principle:

  • Equipping young people through adaptive, inclusive skills systems
  • Deepening collaboration with business and industry
  • Reinforcing livelihoods that drive long-term economic resilience

In the words of one participant: 

"We can’t prepare young people for the future of work without walking with the people already working today."

Opinion Editorials

TVET is not plan B. It’s Rwanda’s best bet - The New Times Rwanda
TVET is not plan B, it’s Rwanda’s best bet -IGIHE