Skills Training for Results and Industry-Valued Employment

pipeline

The project is a US$100 million IDA grant that will support Zambia’s efforts to equip youth with job-relevant skills aligned with labor market needs. It will focus on three priority sector: in mining, agribusiness, and hospitality. The project will strengthen training for mid- and high-level technicians through performance-based grants to TEVET institutions and the creation of Centers of Excellence; pilot a TEVET student loan scheme; and expand access to trades, crafts, and entrepreneurship training through competitive grants and results-based contracts linking payments to employability outcomes. It will also modernize sector management through a new TEVET Management Information System, Labor Market Information System, and SME Skills Registry, while introducing AI-driven innovations such as hybrid learning, virtual simulations, and predictive analytics. Cross-cutting priorities include gender inclusion, green skills, and institutional reforms to align public financing with employment results.