STEP Impact Report: Skills Training for Employment Program

Like in many countries in the Global South, young people struggle to find employment in the formal and informal sectors in Senegal. Youth make up most of the country’s population, with over 60% of the population being 25 or younger. Some of the difficulties hindering employment include an inability to meet the demand for skills in the labour market, a lack of experience in professional environments and a general lack of knowledge of where to look for jobs. Youth unemployment has led to increased poverty, crime, and brain drain through migration to other countries.

To respond to the youth employment crisis, World Vision Canada and World Vision Senegal initiated a three-year vocational training program for education called the Skills Training for Employment Program (STEP) between December 2016 and December 2020. This project was implemented in the Kolda region with funding from Global Affairs Canada and in partnership with the Enablis Entrepreneurship Network and Développement International Desjardins (DID).

The project aimed to improve the employability of young people aged 18 to 24, enrolled in technical and vocational training establishments (TVETs) and unemployed young adults who were not in school. To achieve this objective, the project worked with public TVETs in the Kolda region to improve their quality of training and thus better meet the needs of the labour market. The project also worked directly with young adults to strengthen their general, technical, professional and entrepreneurial capacities to facilitate their professional integration. The project focused on promoting the inclusion of women, young adults with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. STEP directly reached more than 2,000 people, including 1,282 young adults. disabilities and other vulnerable groups.