Vocational Education Lao PDR VELA Program
Private sector capacity strengthening for VET planning and implementation
Comprehensive Vocational Education Lao PDR (VELA) Program implemented in partnership with GIZ and Indeson to systematically strengthen private sector capacity and enhance their role in designing, planning, and implementing vocational education and training, facilitating collaboration and coordination with diverse stakeholders, supporting National Training Council-Private Organizations (NTC-PO) in reviewing and revising occupational and competency-based standards, building capacities of standard development facilitators, and developing and piloting six priority occupational standards with selected Trade Working Groups including Livestock Technician, Mixed Crop Technician, and Greenhouse Technician that align with sustainable development and rural livelihood enhancement objectives.
Lao PDR's transition to market-oriented economic development and ASEAN integration required enhanced private sector participation in vocational education and training to address skills gaps in priority sectors, particularly agriculture and rural development. The country faced challenges including limited private sector engagement in VET planning and implementation, outdated occupational standards disconnected from industry requirements, weak coordination mechanisms between government agencies and private organizations, and insufficient capacity among standard development facilitators. The agricultural sector, employing over 70% of the population, required modernized training approaches to improve productivity, sustainability, and alignment with emerging market demands.
Systematically strengthen private sector capacity and enhance their strategic role in designing, planning, and implementing vocational education and training in Lao PDR through facilitation of comprehensive collaboration and coordination mechanisms with diverse stakeholders, targeted support to National Training Council-Private Organizations (NTC-PO) for reviewing, revising, and guiding development of occupational and competency-based standards, capacity building of standard development facilitators, and development and piloting of six priority occupational standards with selected Trade Working Groups including Livestock Technician, Mixed Crop Technician, and Greenhouse Technician that support sustainable agriculture, rural livelihood enhancement, and economic diversification objectives.
Specific Objectives:
- 1Strengthen private sector capacity for VET planning and implementation
- 2Support NTC-PO in occupational standards development
- 3Build capacity of standard development facilitators
- 4Develop and pilot six priority occupational standards
Key Activities
- Strengthening private sector capacity and role in designing, planning, and implementing vocational education and training
- Enhancement of industry engagement mechanisms and decision-making processes in VET development
- Development of private sector leadership capabilities for ongoing VET system improvement
- Facilitation of collaboration and coordination with different stakeholders including government, private sector, and training providers
- Establishment of sustainable coordination mechanisms for ongoing stakeholder engagement
- Development of communication and feedback systems supporting continuous VET system improvement
- Support to National Training Council-Private Organizations (NTC-PO) to review, revise, and guide development of occupational and competency-based standards
- Capacity building of standard development facilitators for sustainable institutional capability
- Integration of international best practices and national context considerations in standards development
- Development and piloting of six occupational standards with selected Trade Working Groups
- Creation of Livestock Technician, Mixed Crop Technician, and Greenhouse Technician occupational profiles
- Validation and refinement of standards through practical implementation and industry feedback
Methodology
Private sector engagement methodology strengthening industry participation in VET planning, design, and implementation processes
Multi-stakeholder collaboration approach facilitating coordination between government agencies, private organizations, training providers, and civil society actors
Competency-based standards development utilizing international best practices and national qualification framework alignment
Trade Working Group facilitation methodology engaging industry experts, practitioners, and educators in participatory standard development processes
Occupational profile development approach integrating labour market analysis, industry consultation, and evidence-based competency mapping
Pilot implementation and validation framework ensuring practical applicability and industry relevance of developed standards
Project Outcomes
Enhanced private sector capacity achieved with strengthened industry participation in VET planning, design, and implementation processes, establishing sustainable mechanisms for ongoing private sector engagement and leadership in skills development
Effective collaboration and coordination mechanisms established with diverse stakeholders, improving communication and alignment between government agencies, private organizations, training providers, and industry representatives
National Training Council-Private Organizations (NTC-PO) capacity strengthened for reviewing, revising, and guiding development of occupational and competency-based standards, with trained facilitators equipped for sustainable standard development processes
Six priority occupational standards successfully developed and piloted with Trade Working Groups, including Livestock Technician, Mixed Crop Technician, and Greenhouse Technician profiles validated through industry consultation and practical implementation
Improved alignment between VET training programmes and industry requirements achieved, supporting agricultural productivity enhancement, rural livelihood improvement, and sustainable economic development in Lao PDR
2021 to 2023
GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)
Principal Development Partner
Development OrganizationNational Training Council-Private Organizations (NTC-PO)
Government Counterpart and Implementation Partner