Training for Rural Economic Empowerment (TREE): Rural Skills Training
The TREE rural skills training package was designed by the Skills and Employability Department of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The training course is targeted at the poor, the underemployed, unemployed, and informal economy workers in rural areas, with an emphasis on building their skills so they can attain sustained economic activity. These TREE materials were developed in 2007 for use in Pakistan and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) of the Philippines with funding from the U.S. Department of Labor. The users’ manuals for each of these versions are provided in English.
Unlike many other training programs, the TREE model requires implementers to identify potential income generating opportunities before designing corresponding training programs. Along with training exercises to improve the skills of program participants, the TREE model also facilitates the provision of post-training support to help participants maintain their gains from the training program.
The TREE model consists of six main components:
- Module 1: Introduction to the Manual and Overview of the TREE Methodology
- Module 2: : Institutional Assessment, Organization and Planning
- Module 3: Identification of Economic Opportunities and Training Needs Assessment
- Module 4: Training Cycle, Design, Organization, and Delivery
- Module 5: : Post-Training Support Services for Micro-Enterprise Development and Wage Employment
- Module 6: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Research/Documentation
This module includes a general introduction to the TREE users’ manual, a description and overview of the TREE methodology and its adaptation for use in Pakistan. It also provides a reader with an understanding of key operational phrases and components used in the manual and the basic TREE processes that make up the core modules.
In this module, the program implementer will select target groups and geographical areas and will begin to mobilize and empower local partners.
This module consists of laying the groundwork for the training program, including preparing community profiles and baseline information, identifying employment and income-earning opportunities, providing ideas for new businesses, and undertaking feasibility studies and training needs assessments.
This module consists of designing training programs suited to the needs of men and women in the target group as well as selecting and training instructors.
In this module, program implementers will create links with employers and microfinance institutions to set up supports for program participants to aid them in their employment and self-employment endeavors.
This module is a key step in the TREE model. Monitoring will track progress, identify problems, and improve implementation; evaluation will help assess the impact of the training and post-training activities; and documentation will improve shared learning and add to the program’s institutional memory.
