Provided with tailored training and skills, underemployed and unemployed youth can represent an immense asset, as the young workforce can enter entrepreneurship and employment. Technical and Vocational Education and Training Institutions (TVET) increasingly plays an instrumental role in the ecosystem.

It is a pilot initiative that uses an adapted benchmarking methodology for TVET institutions. The tool allows for an independent and objective analysis of the managerial and operational practices of the assessed institutions, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses in comparison to good practices.

The overall intent of the pilot is to strengthen TVET institutions by helping them improve their efficiency and effectiveness, and providing a mechanism to demonstrate that effectiveness to their stakeholders.

With the support from the Ministry Of Higher Education, Research, Science And Technology, and other partners in The Gambia, 5 TVET institutions, including Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI), Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), Insight Training Centre, Sterling Consortium, and Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITTOG), have participated and completed the benchmarking by the end of 2019.

Based on the recommendations from the ITC, as well as incorporating the feedback from the benchmarked TVET institutions, follow up support will be coordinated and planned through The Gambia Youth Empowerment Project (YEP).