Contextualizing Vocational Training for School Dropout Youth in Rural Ethiopia

Abstract

This study aimed at examining the possibility of tailored-made vocational skills training for disadvantaged school dropout youth in rural areas of Ethiopia based on a project implemented in North Shewa. A case study with embedded mixed design was used. Data were collected from project officers, vocational trainers, deans of two TVET colleges, project advisory committee members both at zone and district levels, current trainees, previous graduates, workshops of the training colleges and worksites of the graduates as well as project documents. Individual and group interviews, observation and document review were used to collect the data. The quantitative data emerged from ratings done during interviews with graduates and from document analysis. The study revealed, among others, that contextualizing the youth vocational training program along curriculum and training pedagogy as well as through devising training-to-work transition and in-service (post-graduation) support worked well with disadvantaged school dropout youth in the rural areas. Such impacts as competence, hope and purpose on the part of the program participants have been documented.  Based on this, lessons to be drawn from the project-based initiative are identified with implications for the way forward.