Technical and Vocational Training as the pathway to employment

Initial vocational education and training
10.06.2022
Technical-vocational training is training geared towards the acquisition of knowledge, practical skills and attitudes necessary for exercising a professional occupation and aims to respond positively to the demands of the market and facilitate professional insertion. Amisse undertook technical training in the area of masonry organised by Swisscontact within the Skills to Build project which is based on the development of skills and competences that will help vulnerable young people to find better jobs or develop self-employment, and therefore obtain better income, contributing to greater economic and social equity in the country.

Amisse Fernando Miambo, 22 years old, is the sixth child of eight children, orphaned by a peasant mother and father. He was trained as a bricklayer at the Centro de Formação Profissional de Obras Publicas in Maputo.

Amisse was a young handyman in the masonry trade, until one day his sister heard about a Technical Vocational Training competition at the Public Works Vocational Training Centre near their neighbourhood. Knowing of his brother's need to be trained professionally in order to acquire more knowledge in the area and obtain a certificate that would identify him and facilitate his participation in job competitions, she informed him and encouraged him to apply.

When the day came for the selection interview, he was asked about the course he wanted to take.

"I immediately chose the mason course, as I had been working as a helper in the same area, in addition to admiration and curiosity in wanting to learn more about the profession, my master explained it to me and let me do some things from time to time, but I felt a need to do training to learn more."  Amisse Fernando Miambo

This course was an important opportunity for him to deepen what he knew and observed during the execution of the works, to satisfy his curiosity and to move from common knowledge to professional knowledge.

After completing his training he was referred for an internship in a construction company for 3 months.

"I really enjoyed the internship, it was crucial to solidify the knowledge acquired during training, I gained experience and confidence in carrying out the activities. I adapted easily, I am very helpful and I like to question anything I don't understand, and I was always lucky to have good mentors, they clarified all my doubts."
Amisse Fernando Miambo

After the internship the owner of the company hired Amisse as an employee, seeing his competences and skills and that his attitude was very advantageous. "We decided to hire Amisse, because he is a young and dedicated person with integrity, who has the ability to listen, understand and apply as requested, he likes to question what he is told to do, he always looks for the essence of the work, with that he already knows a lot about the jobs so I took him with me when I go to do my inspection work, because he understands things and when I am saturated, he helps me", explained the foreman of the Amaral company.

"I didn't even think twice, I was very happy for the job, and with that I didn't have to look for jobs in other companies, plus it was an asset for me as I was already socialised with the work environment and felt part of the team."
Amisse Fernando Miambo

Amisse is a young dreamer who chases after his dreams. He works during the day and goes to school in the evening. He wants to finish his secondary education and then train as a foreman in order to be able to control and guarantee the quality of the works and to grow professionally.

The Skills to Build project is financed by Happel Foundation, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA. 

Mozambique
Upskilling and Reskilling, Labour market insertion
Skills to Build
In close collaboration with the private sector, the project promotes improved competitiveness in the construction sector through specific training measures. In this way, the employment conditions and incomes of 470 already employed construction workers are to be improved or increased. In addition, 1 150 unskilled unemployed youth interested in...