SKILL-UP Malawi

Sustainable development of the country hinges upon the participation of all people by devoting their energy and skills to various available opportunities. However, many Malawians are illiterate such that they face challenges to participate in formal TVET system. The shortage of skills development should be addressed to enable Malawians, especially the youth, to provide labour and contribute towards the productivity of the economy. The National Export Strategy (NES) cites a low skills base as one of the major factors constraining Malawi’s movement into higher value-added production in export sectors. The NES has identified access to skills as the greatest challenge to business realizing their growth and export potential in Malawi’s priority export clusters.

The current work of SKILL-UP builds development cooperation coherence as it links to the ILO STED and Norway programmes implemented with SIDA and Government of Norway financial assistance. Some of the major recommendations emanating out of the Malawi STED Report will be implemented.

Furthermore, interventions under the Project address cross-cutting issues of social dialogue by supporting the effective engagement of social partners in dialogues and design of skills development, gender equality. The SKILL-UP Programme in Malawi also endeavours to promote non-discrimination and help reduce incidences of gender-based inequalities and discrimination.

The SKILL-UP Malawi project scales up the initiatives in SIDA funded and the Norway Funded Projects in order to scale up interventions:
  • Strengthen the capacity of business organizations, relevant ministries and constituents to effectively participate in identification of skills needs for trade and private sector growth and contribute to skills development both at national and sectoral level.
  • Improve the responsiveness of skills systems to current and future labour market needs.
  • Increase access of disadvantaged groups and workers in the informal economy to skills development programmes in tradable areas at community, sectoral and national level.