Helvetas and SVEB have been working in Mozambique for two years: as part of the SIM! project, young adults are being trained and trainers are being supported using the GO model. These are the findings so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mozambique is one of the least developed countries in the world. Between 2014 and 2020, the national poverty rate rose from 48 per cent to 63 per cent, and youth unemployment reached 43 per cent in the same period, with young women disproportionately affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a survey of 545 young people conducted by Helvetas, young adults in training are on average 20 years old; 30 per cent of them already have a child. 77 per cent of them have access to family-owned farmland and 78 per cent prefer self-employment to formal employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, 78 per cent of them have dropped out of school and 40 per cent have only attended primary school due to economic constraints or the distance to school. In general, the literacy rate among adult women in Mozambique is 45 per cent and among men 73 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2017, Helvetas has been supporting projects in Mozambique that focus on improving informal apprenticeship training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The \u2018Skills for Youth in Mozambique\u2019 (SIM!) project aims to close educational gaps and redefine the interfaces between basic education and vocational training. By embedding reading, writing and numeracy skills in vocational training, SIM! provides young people and adults with the basic skills they need for a successful working life, thereby promoting inclusion and sustainable community development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since its launch in early 2023, the project, which is funded by the Swiss Confederation and implemented by Helvetas, has trained around 3,600 young people, supported by 221 local craftsmen acting as trainers and seven companies committed to the initiative. The training model combines four months of theoretical and practical instruction with a two-month internship that provides direct workplace experience and skills acquisition. In collaboration with five vocational training institutions, the project also improves the technical and pedagogical skills of local trainers, ensuring sustainable skills development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The project emphasises that learning should take place where it matters most \u2013 in real working environments. (In Switzerland, the funding priority \u2018Simply better! … at work\u2019<\/u><\/a> pursues the same approach.) In bricklaying courses, for example, learners practise reading construction plans and calculating materials, while in agricultural training they work on accounting and budgeting tasks. This highlights the benefits of the training, making it more relevant and effective. Modules such as \u2018Fundamentals of Geometry for Construction\u2019, \u2018Safety and Hygiene in the Workplace\u2019 and \u2018Financial Literacy for Entrepreneurs\u2019 enable participants to apply new skills immediately in their daily work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The GO model<\/u><\/a> developed by SVEB helps here: it integrates the teaching of basic skills into the workplace so that employees can strengthen their reading, writing and numeracy skills as well as their digital skills while performing their daily tasks. This workplace-oriented and adaptable approach directly meets the needs of companies and is suitable for firms of all sizes. In Mozambique, it is helping to close critical gaps in functional literacy and numeracy skills that affect productivity and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The model also offers flexible learning pathways tailored to different educational backgrounds, with training often taking place in community-based facilities close to where participants live. Blended methods and digital tools improve accessibility, especially in remote areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A key feature of the model is private sector investment in workforce development, with companies supporting workplace learning and benefiting from improved employee retention, efficiency and task performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two years after the project started, participant evaluations, surveys and feedback from companies have enabled the training to be tailored to learners’ needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Key findings:<\/p>\n\n\n\nBasic skills in the workplace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Lessons learned from two years<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Furhter information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n