TEI OP-VET: Team Europe Initiative Opportunity-driven Skills and Vocational Education and Training in Africa

Approach and objectives

The TEI OP-VET adopts an opportunity-driven approach, where the starting point for the design of VET and skills development is the identification of concrete employment opportunities arising from public and private investments under the Global Gateway.

This approach acknowledges that VET does not create jobs directly, but rather acts as an enabler and support function for investments and decent employment. It also enhances the impact of both public and private investment by ensuring the availability of a skilled workforce.

Here are the steps for an opportunity-driven approach to VET:

1. Identify employment opportunities
   through the analysis of market trends, value chain developments, sectors demonstrating a high growth and job potential, and dialogue with private sector and public stakeholders.
2. Assess required skills profiles
   by defining skills profiles and identifying workforce gaps.
3. Adjust or develop tailored VET and skills programmes
   In partnership with private sector partners, the public sector and VET providers.
4. Implement training
   With special attention to youth and women, and a strong coordination between VET providers and the private sector.
5. Monitor and adjust
   Training impact is regularly assessed, with stakeholder feedback used to adjust programmes and keep them aligned with evolving market needs.

Opportunities for collaboration

The TEI OP-VET offers multiple channels for engagement through three pillars:

Request-based Technical Assistance (TA) Facility - Infosheet Pillar 1

The Technical Assistance (TA) Facility supports the (re)orientation of skills/VET interventions towards job opportunities emerging from investments under the Global Gateway. It provides customised technical and/or sector-specific expertise tailored to the needs of each request.

Key services include:

• Identifying employment opportunities and related skills needs
• Aligning VET/skills programmes with employment opportunities
• Supporting implementation of opportunity-driven approaches
• Monitoring and evaluating opportunity-driven VET and skills interventions

Who can request support?

• The facility operates on request and is open to:
  • EU Delegations (EUDs), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), EU Member States (MS) and MS organisations (MSOs) involved in Global Gateway-relevant interventions
  • Local and European private sector representatives and organisations (public, private, or non-profit) engaged in value chain development, skills development, or employment promotion in Sub-Saharan Africa

• Eligibility criteria

  • Follow an opportunity-driven approach to VET
  • Involve the private sector and demonstrate job creation potential
  • Align with (European) investments in Global Gateway priority areas
  • Connect with national VET, skills developments and/or employment sector plans (or relevant national strategies)
  • Be linked to relevant EU/MS ongoing or planned interventions
  • Be backed by funding for post-TA implementation
  • Promote women’s access to jobs and gender-responsive/gender-transformative approaches
     

  Requests for TA support must be submitted via ta_facility@tei-opvet.eu.

Regional exchange on public-private partnerships - Infosheet Pillar 2

Regional exchanges on public-private partnerships foster dialogue and mutual learning between public and private stakeholders, supporting the integration of VET and skills development into investment and value chain strategies. They help align training with labour market needs and build active public-private partnerships.

Exchanges are linked to Global Gateway priority areas and other initiatives (such as MAV+ and TEI 'Investing in Young Businesses in Africa - Supporting Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development'). Synergies are also created with the Erasmus+ programme for enhanced knowledge exchange on capacity building of VET providers and with European-Africa Business Fora (EABF) for the promotion of the opportunity-driven approach and a stronger cooperation with the private sector.

They involve stakeholders such as:

• Public and private sector representatives
• VET providers
• International organisations
• Financial institutions and development banks
• Other key stakeholders working in the area of VET and skills development and employment promotion.

Opportunity-driven VET and skills development projects - Infosheet Pillar 3

Under Pillar 3, the Team Europe Initiative Opportunity-driven Skills and VET in Africa (TEI OP-VET) translates its opportunity-driven approach into concrete action through a set of grant agreements that directly link vocational education and training and skills development with employment resulting from investments and value chain growth. Guided by the “reverse-engineering” logic of the OP-VET approach, each project begins by identifying concrete job opportunities, then defines the corresponding skills needs, and finally delivers tailored training that leads to and links decent employment opportunities.  

The current project portfolio focuses on selected Global Gateway priority areas and value chains, including agribusiness, renewable energy and green hydrogen, transport, construction, critical raw materials and digitalisation. Projects are implemented by consortia bringing together private sector actors, VET providers and other relevant stakeholders, fostering strong public–private partnerships and contributing to the strengthening of local VET systems. 

So far, 14 opportunity-driven VET and skills projects under Pillar 3 are being implemented or prepared in the following countries: Benin (Port infrastructure), Côte d’Ivoire (Renewable energy), Democratic Republic of the Congo (Lobito Corridor & supported value chains), Ethiopia (Digitalisation), Kenya (Green Hydrogen), Madagascar (Solar energy), Malawi (Renewable energy), Mauritania (Green Hydrogen), Mozambique (Renewable energy), Namibia (Green Hydrogen), Nigeria (Agribusiness), Senegal (Urban mobility), Tanzania (Critical raw material), and Uganda (Agribusiness), with additional projects to follow as the portfolio expands. 

The funded projects cover a budget of € 1-2 million and will be implemented over a period of 24 months. 

Designed in close cooperation with the private sector (EU and/or local), the funded projects demonstrate tangible employment potential and address skills shortages impeding investments and value chain developments in Global Gateway priority areas. Additionally, they enhance gender equality and improve the capacity of local VET providers to offer training that is relevant for concrete employment opportunities.
Learn more about our ongoing projects here: Pillar 3 projects library