PPDP Volvo/UNIDO Ungdomssysselsättning inom HDEICV i DRC

The Project to support training and skilled employment in the heavy machinery sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (PAFEQ) is a very important program for Sweden because it is an excellent opportunity to show how public-private partnerships can support demand-driven training and stimulate youth employment in the heavy machinery sectors. It is also an opportunity for Sweden to offer skilled employment opportunities for young people and contribute to the development of the vocational training system. This is a project that operates in two provinces in Lualaba and Haut Katanga, mainly in Lubumbashi and Kolwezi. As mentioned above, the project has the particularity of bringing together several partners, including Sida, international private partners such as the Volvo group, which works in the DRC via SMT, and the Epiroc Group. UNIDO is responsible for the coordination and implementation of the project. At the level of national partners, the Ministries in charge of Employment and Labor, National Education and New Citizenship and Industry. It is important to note that UNIDO is also collaborating with the FEC (Federation of Congolese Enterprises) to advance employment and internship issues in companies. The project has a duration of 5 years and has just completed two years. There are 3 years of implementation left. The first year was mainly devoted to establishing implementation capacities on the ground, engaging partners and selecting partner vocational training centers (VTCs). For this second year (June 2023-May 2024), taking into account the visits made by Sweden, the sustained dialogue with UNIDO and the steering committee meetings and so many other extraordinary meetings in which Sweden actively participated, the intervention has not seen major progress in getting youth training off the ground. The two vocational training centers have not yet been built or rehabilitated as planned in the current annual schedule. The construction and rehabilitation of these two centers have been postponed to year 3, June 2024 - May 2025. The renovation and construction work on the workshops has been delayed due to difficulties in mobilizing funds by local partners, funds intended to rehabilitate and/or build the training centers already selected (ITIMA in Kolwezi and INPP in Lubumbashi). This led to the postponement of the actual transfer of training equipment to year 3. To advance the project, Sweden has increased the number of follow-up visits and maintained a substantial dialogue with UNIDO. As a result, encouraging efforts have been noted, mainly focused on establishing the prerequisites necessary for organizing training in partner VTCs. Thanks to UNIDO's efforts, the following activities have been carried out. The training of trainers is very advanced for the INPP trainers. On the other hand, the implementation of the technical training sessions for the six designated ITIMA trainers has not yet started. SMT carried out a preliminary technical assessment of these trainers in April 2024. The INPP trainings are: - Preparation of the two centers to set up new training courses in the field of maintenance of heavy machinery and utility vehicles to make them centers of excellence in these fields; - Redevelopment of the workshops: although the construction and renovation work of the workshops has not yet started in the two partner CFPs, significant progress has been made in mobilizing funding for this work and launching the corresponding procurement procedures; - Training of trainers: nine INPP trainers were technically trained with the support of Volvo/SMT and Epiroc and completed six-week industrial internships at the SMT workshop in Lubumbashi. The objective of these internships was to expose the trainers to the realities of the industry and to give them the opportunity to improve their skills by working alongside SMT technicians on EILVC components (engines, transmissions, etc.) sent by customers to SMT for overhaul; - Volvo Penta engine overhaul training: two INPP trainers were able to participate in the Volvo Penta importer training organized in Dubai in April 2024. This was provided on D16 engines and allowed them to acquire comprehensive engine overhaul skills. This training complemented the experience acquired by the two trainers during their industrial internships, as they were able to learn how to handle Volvo Penta's specialized tools used for the maintenance of EILVC components. In addition to the training sessions technical tool aimed at improving the skills of trainers from partner CFPs, UNIDO also organized coaching and training sessions on institutional communication, planning tools and action research for the staff of these centers in order to support the implementation of training management procedures and new and/or improved services. This work focused on the following areas: (i) Institutional communication: A total of ten (10) ITIMA and INPP staff members were trained on the use of social networks to promote TVET AND on the use of Canevas and the production of photos and video sequences with smartphones. (ii) Gender mainstreaming: Based on the findings of the gender analysis, PAFEQ supported the two partner CFPs in developing tailor-made gender action plans. Soft skills and career guidance support services: mobilization of an expert to help the two training centers develop content aimed at developing soft skills and job search workshops for trainees from TVET courses. The objective of these workshops is to help these trainees acquire interpersonal skills (communication, teamwork, etc.) that are essential to improve their employability and their understanding of how to evolve in the recruitment landscape after graduation. Eighteen (18) staff members from four (4) different centers (INPP, ITIMA and the other resource centers in Kolwezi and Lubumbashi) participated in a three-day training session on how to facilitate these workshops. An unexpected result of the program is the UNIDO and ENABEL partnership to build a vocational training center that the project will support in terms of equipment to facilitate the training of young people.

The intervention is a Public Private Partnership Development Partnership (PPDP) initiative, implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with Swedish companies Volvo and Epiroc to generate jobs for young people in the heavy industrial equipment and construction sector. utility vehicles (HDIECV) in two (Lualaba and Haut Katanga) provinces out of the 26 in the DRC. The project aims to promote the development of technical skills among young Congolese men and women (mainly those between the ages of 15 and 35). This will enhance the youth workforce in the HDIECV market.