Overview:
Evolve Global Solutions worked with 30 project partners in five countries to improve employer engagement techniques in vocational education and training (VET). The project aimed to increase the employability of young people across six countries by sharing good practices in apprenticeship models and employability programs.

Challenge:
The challenge faced by the project was to improve employer engagement techniques in VET institutions to increase the employability of young people in six countries. The project required mentoring support for FE/TVET institution project leads to ensure a successful delivery of the British Council’s I-WORK project.

Solution:
Evolve Global Solutions provided mentoring support to FE/TVET institution project leads in the UK, Ghana, Malaysia, South Africa, and India to ensure successful delivery of the I-WORK project. The project also included building capacity and sharing good practices in apprenticeship models and employability programs. Evolve Global Solutions evaluated the robustness of project outputs and monitored progress against project KPIs.

Results:
The mentoring provided by Evolve Global Solutions led to the successful delivery of the I-WORK project, with 25 policy makers and high-level decision-makers engaged across five countries. The project also resulted in new employer engagement techniques being embedded, and Evolve Global Solutions being asked to lead further projects in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland, Germany, Poland, France, and Spain. Additionally, Evolve Global Solutions worked with Hertford Regional College to develop and deliver a knowledge-sharing and capacity-building program with four colleges in Vietnam virtually due to the global pandemic. As a result, Hertford Regional College was offered an opportunity to expand this work to Sri Lanka, and Evolve Global Solutions continued to support.

Key Learnings:
The key learnings from this project include the importance of building capacity and sharing good practices in apprenticeship models and employability programs to increase the employability of young people in VET institutions. It is also important to provide mentoring support to project leads to ensure the successful delivery of projects.

Conclusion:
Evolve Global Solutions’ work with the British Council’s I-WORK project successfully increased employer engagement techniques in VET institutions and increased the employability of young people in five countries. The project’s success led to Evolve Global Solutions being asked to lead further projects in multiple countries. This project demonstrates Evolve Global Solutions’ commitment to improving vocational education and training systems around the world.