As the USAID BRIDGE program winds down its fifth and final year, we take a step back to note what we learned during this program.
While the government has undertaken and focused numerous initiatives aimed at improving the capacity of the State Employment Services Agency to identify and train unemployed, BRIDGE notes that the vocational education sector remains an untapped link in the labor market – not only in the provision of year or two-year pedagogical programs, but in the delivery of specialized or certificate courses for adults.
Surprisingly, the Armenian economy continues to require high paying trades – such as welding, elevator repair, and air conditioning installation – despite a national unemployment rate estimated at 35%. Over the past six months, all 37 graduates of the BRIDGE welding training program found jobs in Yerevan. This example highlights the continuing disconnect between the need for specialized labor by the private sector and government, and the capacity of the vocational and educational sector to supply suitable competencies.
Part of the problem remains the separation of responsibilities in active labor market measures between the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues and the Ministry of Education and Sciences. This separation hinders an accurate assessment of long term and short term labor market needs, and the possibility to effectively divide training responsibilities. At a minimum, we believe that the government should require a minimum percentage of the MLSI training to be directly contracted to MOES institutions in the regions.
Finally, while the goal of the BRIDGE program was to create short term labor opportunities, it soon became apparent that there is a strong demand for services in Armenia’s rural areas which generate permanent jobs. For example, renovating a floor in kindergarten – in addition to the short term employment generated – creates perhaps three permanent positions. While municipalities do not have the tax base to implement these renovations themselves, our experience has shown a dedication to maintain facilities after completion, including the creation of permanent staff. Parents who are able to leave their children at kindergarten, are then able to work in agriculture, having a secondary effect of the initial investment.
I take this opportunity to thank USAID for its support of this project – a project which has brought jobs and needed services to thousands of Armenians. I also take this opportunity to thank Volodymyr Yatsenko and Tatshat Stepanyan for their intellectual and moral support throughout these years. I wish them the very best.
Nubar Goudsouzian Chief of Party BRIDGE Public Works Program
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