Social Impact Analysis

7.1.1 The project was designed with two groups in mind. The first and largest of the target groups comprises young people between the ages of 15 to 25. More than two-thirds of this group is currently either unemployed or underemployed. This large and important segment of the population represents Nigeria’s greatest potential for future economic growth and societal well being. Failure to develop their job skills relative to the expectations of business and industry will render years of effort at the vocational and technical school irrelevant. On the other hand, strengthening the job-readiness of this age group will be an advantage to the economic and social prospects of these individuals, their families and the country.

7.1.2 The second group is young women who need to develop knowledge, skills, and work experience commensurate with their potential. The project will take active measures to correct gender-related disadvantages, such as campaigns to recruit young women as VTE students, the strengthening of the capacity of the National Centre for Women Development, the designing of special teacher training courses to reduce gender biases in VTE, and targeted career guidance and job placement services. During the project period, 50% of direct beneficiaries will be women. One

of the important task will be to sensitize other units and to the many no-cost opportunities to serve the needs of women. Affirmative action will also be encouraged on behalf of other target groups: members of ethnic minorities such as the nomadic population, handicapped persons, and the poor. 7.1.3 Social impacts of the project will be monitored by examining: (i) enrolment patterns in VTE centres; (ii) employment rates of youth, women, handicapped persons, the poor, and minorities; (iii) average salaries and starting employment positions of the target groups. Technical assistance will be extended to TSD in implementing this portion of the project.

7.1.4 Benefits will also accrue to up to 500 teachers/instructors and administrators involved in VTE in the 10 training centres and 20,000 trainees whose schools will have access to improved curricula and instructional resources. These teachers/instructors and administrators will build new knowledge, skills, and attitudes as a result of professional career development programs. Qualitative benefits to the programs, schools, staff, students, graduates, and employers will soon be felt with the establishment of a Labour Market Information System, as well as program career counselling, accreditation, and the technical certification systems.

7.1.5 The project also promotes self-reliance and empowerment among beneficiaries. For trainees who become employable, this will mean increased financial independence and freedom from chronic dependency on families and society.

Impact on gender

7.1.6 The project will have direct impact on increasing girls’ and women’s access to quality skills development training at both the Technical Colleges and the National Centre for Women Development. Through the development of strategic frameworks on gender and education and a VTE strategic policy, together with the training of staff and teachers on gender sensitive teaching methods, the project will assist in creating a more enabling environment for equal participation of girls and boys in VTE. Moreover, the outreach and sensitisation components of this project will aim to bring about positive attitudinal changes about girls’ involvement in among parents, VTE educators, employers and the community at large. This in turn will increase girls’ demand for VTE. It will also contribute to building women’s competence in professions where women are underrepresented. Girls’ assertiveness and leadership skills will be enhanced through various activities including the strengthening of school clubs around socially relevant areas at beneficiary institutes. By addressing the gender stereotyping of professions, through various means, including the provision of appropriate guidance and counselling services, interested boys will be encourage to broaden their career options and specialize in professions traditionally held by women.

7.1.7 The project will support the rehabilitation and retooling of specific women’s VTE centres such as the National Centre for Women’s Development in Abuja and the Women’s Technical College in Akwa Ibom State.

7.1.8 The AIDS pandemic is slowing down growth in the West African sub-region, including Nigeria. The inclusion of life skills in the curriculum will assist in combating HIV/AIDS. The availability of the facilities of multi-media and access to the Internet can be exploited to further sensitise people on the ill effects of AIDS and the different measures to combat it. The range of information for potential trainers and trainees will have both an orientation and educational purpose. The promotion/marketing of training to be carried out under the project will offer an increasing number of youths with information for making informed choices on training and

employment options. Likewise, effective information packages will be made available to all with regard to healthy living, with emphasis on HIV/AIDS and Sexually-transmitted Diseases (STDs). 7.2 Economic Impact Analysis

7.2.1 Increased employment and self-employment opportunities will contribute to improved earnings and reduction in poverty. With increased awareness of the benefits of skills and entrepreneurial training through fairs, exhibitions, and publicity awareness campaigns, local community members will be motivated to experiment with, for instance, farming, animal husbandry, fish management, and processing to augment their incomes. The establishment of business development centres will promote increased economic activity.

7.2.2 Through the project’s various components, the matching of labour supply with labour demand will improve. The involvement of the private sector, the Government, and skills practitioners in determining the human resource needs in the selected sectors and in developing needed programs will yield good quality labour market information and more appropriate training programs. Up to 20,000 youths will receive employment-oriented skills training over the project

life that meet employer requirements.The direct benefits to the families of the 20,000 trainees will

improve the lives of about 60,000 people (each trainee contributing to at least 3 family members). The local economies will benefit from the infusion of new skills and trained people, leading to job creation from entrepreneurial ventures.

7.2.3 The continuing growth of the Nigeria economy calls for commensurate human resource development at all levels, including relevant intermediate skills and entrepreneurship qualities. Such a growth will require better quality human resources for production. The beneficiaries are not only the number of trainees who will annually benefit from the acquisition of competencies relevant to their jobs but the economy and the country at large. The relationship developed with the private sector will strengthen the link between the two and lead to increase productivity. The improved availability of a trained work force is also an asset in attracting foreign direct investment.

7.2.4 In sum, the benefits to be derived from the project are: (i) the improvement in the management of the system will reduce the cost of training; (ii) the trainers will be better qualified and motivated to perform their jobs and increase productivity levels; (iii) the trainees will spend less time in mastering the different skills; (iv) the parents and the community will spend less resources to produce a skilled graduate.

8. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS