Promoting Apprenticeship as a Path for Youth Employment in Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya through Global Apprenticeships Network (GAN) National Networks

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Region/Country:
Americas Argentina Costa Rica
Global
Sub-Saharan Africa Kenya
Project Duration:
September 2016
-
September 2020
Funding and Year:
FY
2016
: USD
1,400,000
FY
2017
: USD
1,500,000

The Promoting Apprenticeship as a Path for Youth Employment Project is working directly with employers, workers’ organizations, and governments to help increase the number of apprenticeship opportunities for vulnerable youth in Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya. The project will create and strengthen private sector networks in support of apprenticeship and other types of work-based training, such as internships, in all three countries, helping employers launch quality work training programs while ensuring these programs are accessible to disadvantaged youth.

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The Problem

One of the most pressing global challenges is providing quality job opportunities to the approximately 75 million youth of legal working age in search of a job. Youth from vulnerable backgrounds are at great risk of turning to hazardous or illicit forms of work to support themselves. Many national governments, businesses, and workers organizations want to find ways to reduce the skills gap and equip youth with the skills that are in-demand in modern economies. While large businesses often implement work-based training and apprenticeships programs, smaller companies are often unaware of the benefits of such programs or how to implement them.

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Our Strategy

The Promoting Apprenticeship Project seeks to create more and better apprenticeship opportunities for vulnerable youth by helping employers understand how youth apprenticeship works, launch apprenticeship programs, and cooperate with the government to build national apprenticeship systems that are inclusive of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. A key outcome of the project will be the creation and consolidation of national-level apprenticeship networks in each country (Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya), which will serve as coordination platforms for large and small employers to implement apprenticeship programs, learn from one another, and collaborate with government and civil society organizations. In addition to developing country-specific tools and best practices related to youth work-based training programs, the project will help the Argentina, Costa Rica, and Kenya country networks access regional and international best practices related to youth training, and adapt these practices to their local contexts. 

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Results

GAN national networks have been launched in Argentina and Costa Rica, and coordination has begun with potential network members in Kenya. The Argentina and Costa Rica networks have begun evaluating their member companies’ knowledge of and capacity to implement work-based training programs for vulnerable youth, as well as the countries’ legal and policy frameworks on youth training and employment, to identify and advocate for improvements.

  Midterm Evaluation
  Final Evaluation
Grantee: Global Apprenticeships Network (GAN)
Contact Information:
(202) 693-4843
/
Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking (OCFT)
Tags: Child Labor Apprenticeships Capacity Building Youth Employment