Regional Seminar on Gender Equality in Secondary Education, TVET and Skills for Employment Presentation on Mid-Level Skills Training

Project in Timor-Leste
Isabel de Lima Interim Project Director SEPFOPE 11 September 2013
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Overview on Timor-Leste

Independence formalized in May 2002 Population: 1.06 million (2010) - male 51% , female 49%
- most living in mountainous rural areas (70%)

GDP per capita: $9,500 (2012 est) Total fertility rate: 5.9 per woman Population below poverty: 41% (2009) Youth unemployment (age 15-29) - total 19%; urban 27% - underemployment also prevalent

Project Background

TIM Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 emphasizes investment in infrastructure development Demand for skilled workers in construction & automotive trades
Shortage of skilled workers to support infrastructure development foreign labor; high youth unemployment (skills gap)

Survey findings
2008 survey of enterprises indicates foreign workers fill key skilled positions in construction & hospitality (esp. skilled positions: engineers, plumbers, electricians, masons, welders and mechanics) 2010 labor force survey of workers 15years and older: Only 3,000/13,000 workers (23%) had finished secondary, TVET education.

Background on TVET Subsector

Consist of (a) technical high schools (under MOE) and (b) post-school vocational training providers (under SEPFOPE) Currently transforming vocational training from a predominantly community-based to a regulated system Establishment of INDMO (National Labor Force Dev. Institute) to develop competency standards based on industry inputs and to accredit vocational training providers
Industry sub-commisions provide advice on competency standards
and qualifications within their particular industry

INDMO responsible for regulating qualification levels 1-4 of vocational training and foundation courses INDMO also certifying training providers and approving the competency of individual technical trainers

Project Focus
Mid-Level Skills (MLS) Training (certificate levels 2-4) in construction & automotive trades Impact: Contribute to development of a skilled workforce in Timor-Leste with improved quality and higher levels of vocational training
Outcome: Enhanced TVET system with MLS training that is relevant & responsive to labor market needs

Project Outputs
1.

Mid-Level Skills Training provision - upgrading facilities & equipment (including dormitory) for 1 public & 2 private and training centers; development of skills standards
Technical teacher training - training development center & training of trainers

2.

3.

Enhancing labor market linkages of TVET - TVET promotion & career guidance - Workplace training - Improved LMIS (Labor Market Information System)
Strengthening TVET financing & support - financing plans for training providers - expanding access to TVET (e.g., scholarships)

4.

Project Info.
Financing: $12 million ADF grant
$ 1 million TIM Gov contribution Implementation: 2012 Dec. 2016 EA/IA: Secretariat of States Policy for Vocational Training and Employment (SEPFOPE) 1st donor project implemented by the EA

Key Gender issues relevant to TVET Subsector

Girls education levels in secondary has improved, reaching parity or exceeding boys enrollment Rate female labor force participation less than half the rate of male participation (36% vs 73%, LFS 2010) Females participation in formal sector is low, womens employment mostly concentrated either in informal sector or in traditionally female jobs Mostly occupations women concentrated in livelihood, hospitality, office and IT skills area (LFS 2010) Womens participation in NT areas improves womens opportunity to engage in formal sector (where incomeearning opportunities are increasing)

Gender Action Plan (1)

Outputs Proposed activities (selected)

1. Mid-level skills training provision

All skills standard manuals are gender sensitive & TVET curricula include positive images of women in construction & automotive trades Gender sensitization training to industry sub-com. & inclusion of female representation in industry sub-com. Training on prevention of sexual harassment for all teachers & trainees in training centers Female enrollment in construction and automotive skills areas at least 10% by 2014 and 20% by 2016 50% of dormitory spaces are allocated to females
Develop strategies to increase female trainers in nontraditional technical trades as part of a long-term plan Recruit 3-5 female trainees for teacher training programs Develop & implement social marketing strategies to promote female participation in NT skills areas (e.g. media campaigns; skills fair) Prepare info brochures targeted at females in NT areas

2. Technical teacher training 3. Enhancing LM linkages of TVET (a) TVET promotion

Gender Action Plan (2)

Outputs 3. Enhancing LM linkages of TVET (b) Career guidance services (c) Increased involvement of employers in TVET Proposed activities (selected) Organize career guidance workshops for female trainees with women from nontraditional businesses (e.g., Working Womens Center) Provide special job placement services to female trainees (e.g., additional subsidies for employers) Develop social marketing strategies for private sector employers Develop employer recognition programs (with Chamber of Commerce & Industry) Develop strategies to expand the ongoing preference system used by Tibar Training Center Develop financing plans to expand access for females and disadvantaged groups . TVET information disaggregated by sex

4. Strengthening TVET financing & support

DMF: Outputs & GM features

Selected Outputs 1. Mid-level skills training delivered by selected training providers GM features Female enrollment in construction and automotive skills areas increases from 5% in 2009 to at least 20% by 2016 Achievements to date Only 7% of current trainees (6 out of 85) are female

2. Improved technical capacity of teachers to deliver mid-level skills training

3. Enhanced labor market linkages of TVET programs

At least 3-5 female eligible trainees are included in teacher training programs by 2016 (Number of certified teachers for mid-level skills training increases from 5 to 35 by 2016)

No update due to the first training class underway

At least 80% of female trainees No update due are included in workplace training to the training by 2016 class underway

Challenges
Timor-Leste is a patriarchal society with strong social norms that dictate gender roles. Gender gaps in work force participation are significant Difficulties in increasing enrollment of female trainees and teachers in nontraditional skills areas (e.g., automotive and construction trades) Poor social perception of TVET may limit potential trainees interest Lack of interest among private sector employers in TVET sector development activities Strengthened capacity of EA/project staff to implement GAP

Achievements (1)
1. Mid-Level Skills Training provision

- development of gender-sensitive skills standards manuals - construction of separate sanitation facilities for females and males in upgraded training facilities -inclusion of female trainees during construction of training facilities undertaken by trainees

Achievements (2)
2. TVET Promotion - produce TVET information materials specified targeted at females - produce media campaign videos portraying female trainees 3. Improved LMIS - ensure all LMIS data coding and analyses are sex-disaggregated

The Way Forward

Recruitment of project gender specialists who will be responsible for incorporating the GAP into project planning and implementation program Build capacity of EA/PMU staff on GAP implementation Familiarizing TVET institutions and potential employers on Project GAP objectives and targets TVET promotion campaign to raise awareness of TVET opportunities and career options, especially for unemployed youth and women Continue incorporate sex-disaggregated data in project monitoring systems

Obrigado!