Qiyas, skills for job component of EASE Project Reviews Progress and Expands Opportunities for Youth Employment

The Ethiopia Education and Skills for Employability (EASE) Project, through its Skills for Jobs (QIYAS) initiative, held a Joint Implementation Mission to review progress, discuss challenges, and identify priorities for the successful implementation of the project.

  The two-day mission brought together representatives from the Ministry of Labor and Skills, the World Bank, the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), training providers, project partners, and stakeholders. The meeting focused on the implementation status of QIYAS Project and Results-Based Financing (RBF) on Digital Skills.

  Dr. Hassen Hussen, CEO of EDI, emphasized the importance of strengthening skills development systems to address youth unemployment and improve employability outcomes on his opening remark. World Bank Task Team Leader Anna Olefir highlighted the mission's objectives and reaffirmed the Bank's commitment to supporting Ethiopia's efforts to create employment opportunities for young people.

  QIYAS was designed to address one of the major challenge contributing for high unemployment: growing mismatch between labor market demands and the skills possessed by job seekers. The initiative aims to equip youth with relevant and in-demand skills, improve employability, and contribute to inclusive economic growth. Currently, the project is being piloted in Addis Ababa, Dessie, and Hosaena.

  The project's implementation framework includes strengthening selected Polytechnic Training Colleges (PTCs), leveraging private-sector participation through Performance-Based Partnership Schemes (PBPS), and enhancing coordination and information systems across the skills development ecosystem.

  A key highlight of the meeting was the presentation on the Digital Skills Window. A total of 105 institutions, including universities, TVET colleges, NGOs, international organizations, and private training providers, submitted Expressions of Interest. Following a competitive selection process, five providers were awarded contracts across three training categories: 

  The selected providers have completed onboarding activities, including orientation on project implementation procedures, monitoring and verification requirements, curriculum development, training manuals, and outreach strategies.

  Under the pilot phase, the Digital Skills Window aims to train and facilitate employment opportunities for 3,000 young people across the three participating cities.

  The meeting also highlighted important lessons learned. Stakeholders recommended adjusting implementation timelines for specific milestones, introducing soft-skills training at the beginning of programs to improve retention, and expanding future project windows in to more cities.

  The Joint Implementation Mission will be conclude with field visits to selected training institutions, allowing participants to observe implementation progress firsthand and engage directly with beneficiaries and training providers.

  QIYAS continues to play a critical role in strengthening Ethiopia's skills development ecosystem and creating pathways to employment for thousands of young people across the country.