Tomorrow’s workforce competes for gold
One year after the great success of ethioskills ’99, the first work skills competition in Ethiopia, 35 young trainees from all over the country participated in the national finals of the Millennium ethioSkills Competition. The event is part of an ambitious reform program of the Ethiopian Ministry of Education and ecbp to improve the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system, transforming it into a demand-driven and outcome-based educational system that provides industries with skilled manpower.
“This event brings a sprit of competition to the trainees,” said Fekadu Asrat, Senior Expert to the Ministry of Education and one of the organizers of the Millennium ethioSkills Competition. “It provides motivation to work better and harder. At the same time, it introduces competition between TVET providers in Ethiopia. If their students are to succeed at the skills competition, schools will have to provide better education. This will contribute to improving the TVET system as a whole.”
At this year’s competition, held in Addis Ababa on November 3rd and 4th, 35 trainees competed for bronze, silver and gold medals in the categories metalwork, carpentry, masonry, engine mechanic and dressmaking. “The trainees have two days to create a piece of work, following the plans we gave to them,” explained Stefan Fuchs, a German CIM-expert working for ecbp, who is one of the judges at the competition. Carpenters had to make a wooden chair, metalworkers a table, dress makers worked on a black skirt. “During the two days we compare the quality of the result,” Stefan Fuchs said, “but also work security and the conditions at the workplace during the two days.” The participants were selected through regional skills competitions – an important step in promoting the idea of competition in each and every corner of Ethiopia. About 200 trainees under the age of 25 participated at the regional level.
Mengistu Wada, a 23 years old bricklayer from the Southern Ethiopian town of Awassa, is quite optimistic after finishing his piece of work. “I did my work with a lot of confidence, and I think I did well”, he said after two days of laying bricks to create a small arch. His construction was the exact replica of the one he was supposed to copy, the mortar was applied properly, the workplace was tidy – good chances to achieve a good result in the competition. The jurors were impressed by the work they saw: “Some of the trainees are doing a really fine job,” Stefan Fuchs said. But added: “However, we see big differences between the trainees. This shows that the standard of TVET institutions differs considerably.”
The Ethiopian Ministry of Education, together with ecbp, is working on an ambitious reform program for the TVET system. TVET trainees used to leave college without sufficient practical knowledge for the world of work. Not being able to respond to the demands of the industries, they had difficulties finding a job. The TVET system needs to focus on its outcomes and provide an education that prepares trainees for the real world. The skills competition is one way of reaching this aim. Not least because it brings the TVET system and industries together. “Industry people are coming,” Fekadu Asrat said, “they come as sponsors, as judges, and as visitors, and they are very interested in seeing the quality of the work done during the competition. They know: If they get qualified people, they can produce high quality goods. It’s the industries that have to set the standards for the TVET system.”
Skills competitions have been organized on a worldwide scale for decades. The first of its kind in Ethiopia was last year’s ethioskills ’99, a model skills competition aimed at evaluating the potentials of such an event. From this year on, the skills competition will take place once a year on a regional level, and be a biennial event on the national level. Fekadu Asrat even goes a step further: “Why shouldn’t they be able to participate in the WorldSkills Competition one day? Already now, we have very talented trainees in our country”
Mengistu Wada’s optimism after finishing his construction was more than justified – three days after the competition, he was awarded with the gold medal for his work. “I’m very happy about this award,” he said with a broad smile. “When I heard about the competition, I knew that I would have to work hard and improve my skills. This result encourages me to continue along this path.”
