Building Skills for Jobs: Project support
The present call aims to link private and public partners in order to enhance Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in selected developing countries.
It is being launched with the purpose of funding a limited number of strategic projects where existing presence and established partnerships on the ground can allow for start-up within the first half of 2017.
Up to NOK 50 million is available for support to projects under this call. Each project may be supported by between three and 15 million kroner for the total project period. Project partners should be prepared to contribute with own funding or input factors.
The period of funding can be between three and five years, and start-up date should be no later than 30.06.2017.
Objectives
The objectives that can be supported under this programme are:
- Provide youth and young adults with documented and transferable skills and qualifications that are in demand in the formal and/or informal labour market
- Provide youth and young adults with documented skills and qualifications that contribute to entrepreneurship and/or self-employment
- Establish and/or develop TVET institutions, preferably in cooperation with national authorities and industry organisations
Who can apply?
Project proposals can be submitted by Norwegian companies, business associations, industry organisations, educational institutions, foundations and NGOs.
The grant scheme will support projects related to TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) on levels equivalent to secondary school or below.
Geographical scope
Funding will be prioritized to projects addressing skills challenges in one or more of the following 12 focus countries/areas for Norwegian development aid: Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Haiti, Mali, Palestine, Somalia and South Sudan.
Projects in other of the 85 countries eligible to receive Norwegian development assistance can also be submitted. See list of 85 countries eligible (in Norwegian only).
Sectoral focus
Priority will be given to projects addressing skills challenges in one or more of the following sectors: energy, ICT, agriculture, fish/marine resources, and maritime sectors. This includes projects addressing needs for vocational skills in different ends of the value chain (including sub-deliveries such as services), as well as projects related to skills of general or multi-sector relevance such as “soft skills” and HSE.
Risk management
All applicants must present a system for risk management. The risk management must include the most important risk factors that may impede results achievement. In addition, applicants shall identify significant risk factors that may have a negative impact on the four cross cutting issues, and shall analyse and manage these risk factors throughout the project cycle.
The cross cutting issues in official Norwegian development assistance are: human rights, women’s rights and gender equality, climate and environment, and anti-corruption. The risk assessment shall be scaled to the significance of the project, including its scope and duration.
What cannot be supported?
- Projects for higher education will not be considered, except those involving training for teachers in vocational institutions.
- Company specific internal training which does not result in documented and transferable skills.
- Private sector activities that produce weaponry or other military materiel, intoxicants such as alcoholic drinks and narcotics, as well as tobacco.
Available funds and own contribution
Up to NOK 50 million is available for support to projects under this call. Each project may be supported by between three and 15 million kroner for the total project period.
Project partners should be prepared to contribute with own funding or input factors.
Duration of projects and start-up
The period of funding can be between three and five years, and start-up date should be no later than 30.06.2017.
Assessment criteria
Project proposals submitted under this call will be assessed after the following criteria:
- Documented demand for the skills and qualifications in the job market in the given country
- Relevance of the skills and qualifications for entrepreneurship and self-employment
- Description of the education/training provided:
- Length of education/training
- Number of youth and young adults to be educxated/trained
- Quality of education/training
- Transferability of skills and qualifications: How are the skills documented, assessed and certified
- Contribution to strengthening the vocational education system in the target country
- Adherence to the cross-cutting issues
- Feasibility of the project
- Risk management
- Cost effectiveness
Please note that any project financed through this call must be in accordance with EEC state support-regulations.