I am working as an Event Manager at Team Europe Initiative Opportunity-driven Skills and Vocational Education and Training in Africa (TEI OP-VET) which is a 5-year employment promotion project, implemented by EDUFI in cooperation with Belgium, France, and Germany’s development agencies in the spirit of Team Europe.
The primary objective is to enhance the vocational education and training (VET) systems in African countries to better meet the skills needs created by the Global Gateway investments. The project focuses on enabling the green and digital transitions by providing expert support and funding for educational development, while also facilitating cooperation between the public and private sectors.
The private sector plays a key role by participating in identifying skill gaps. The project builds on existing partnerships with African organizations and strengthens collaboration between public and private sectors to align training with Africa-Europe investment objectives.
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) presents significant investment opportunities across multiple sectors. However, matching these opportunities with the employment aspirations of a fast-growing youth population remains a challenge. Many young people struggle to find decent jobs, while investors face a shortage of relevant skills in the labour force. To help close this gap, the Team Europe Initiative on Opportunity-driven Skills and Vocational Education and Training in Africa (TEI OP-VET) was launched in April 2024 under the Global Gateway strategy. The initiative aims to strengthen vocational education and training systems in SSA by aligning them with concrete employment opportunities emerging from public and private investments, making skills development a core enabler of sustainable growth and job creation.