DRC Skills for Economic Transformation Project

pipeline

This proposed project takes a comprehensive, multisectoral approach to addressing skills development in the country. By tackling key barriers to quality, market-relevant training, the project seeks to modernize and professionalize curricula, strengthen infrastructure, and build meaningful partnerships with the private sector. It goes beyond traditional TVET and professional training to include higher education and informal apprenticeship systems, ensuring that no sector is left behind. To build a high-value-added, inclusive economy, there is a need to develop a diverse range of skills across the entire spectrum, engaging all key stakeholders, including those currently outside the system. Through an inter-ministerial approach, the project will develop targeted, scalable solutions to skill shortages and enhance employment prospects for all.Component 1: Increasing equitable access to quality and market-relevant skills for youth (US$ 170M). This component aims to improve access to essential TVET and skills development programs for youth, especially vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in targeted sectors. The component will modernize training delivery, strengthen pathways to employment and self-employment, and promote gender and social inclusion. - Subcomponent 1.1: Expanding Access through Infrastructure and Inclusive Service Delivery. This subcomponent will support the construction and rehabilitation of training facilities, including the Inga Academy of Excellence, TVET and professional training centers, and selected HEIs. - Subcomponent 1.2: Inclusive Skills Development and School-to-Work Transition Support. This subcomponent will provide short-term training, internships, and entrepreneurship support for youth in areas of the selected provinces with limited labor market connection. - Subcomponent 1.3: Modernizing Curriculum, Teaching, and Quality Assurance for Employability. This subcomponent aims to modernize training modules and curricula in both formal and informal sectors to meet evolving industry standards and improve trainee productivity and employability. Component 2: Enhancing Youth Employability and Productivity through Quality and Relevant Skills Development (US$ 70 M). This Component aims to improve youth employability, productivity, and income generation by supporting skills upgrading, entrepreneurship, and business development in key targeted sectors.- Subcomponent 2.1: Upgrading Skills and Productivity for Youth microentrepreneurs. This subcomponent aims to increase the productivity and earnings of young microentrepreneurs by upgrading their technical, business, and life skills, and supporting them to scale up their enterprises.- Subcomponent 2.2: Promoting Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation through Competitive Fund. This subcomponent will support, and finance entrepreneurial initiatives (business plans) presented by the project beneficiaries who will be trained through the Competitive Fund. Component 3: Reinforcing Skills systems through harmonized frameworks, enhanced data, project management and monitoring and evaluation (US$ 60M). This subcomponent aims at strengthening job market information, enhance data for evidence-based approaches to improving skills development, and support project management and monitoring and evaluation. - Sub-Component 3.1: Bridging and harmonizing Skills Frameworks and Certification Systems. This subcomponent will focus on improving the coherence and recognition of skills development frameworks in DRC. - Subcomponent 3.2: Strengthening Data Systems, Labor Market Intelligence, and Project Management. This subcomponent will support the establishment of a statistical TVET database in the DRC; Technical and policy dialogue around the future demand for skills and; establishment of a countrywide skills strategy.