81298104-Development, Implementation and Evaluation of Measures for Vocational Orientation and Career Planning in Uzbekistan

The bilateral Uzbek-German project "Support of the reform and modernization process in the vocational education system of Uzbekistan" (TexVET) is part of the priority area of "Sustainable Economic Development". German participation in this area aims to create sustainable employment and more income opportunities for the population of Uzbekistan and thus directly and tangibly improve its living conditions. According to the agreements reached during the intergovernmental negotiations in 2019, the bilateral project contributes to the adaptation of VET in Uzbekistan to the needs of the labour market and supports the introduction of dual vocational education. The main political partner of the project is the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation (MHESI). Other partners are: - Ministry for Preschool and School Education (MPSE) - Ministry of Employment and Poverty Reduction (MEPR), - Ministry of Economy and Finance, - Textile Association UZTEXTILPROM, - Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), - NGOs working with young people, especially secondary school and VET institutions learners. The project supports the reform and modernization process in the vocational education system of Uzbekistan and works on five outputs: (1) Capacities of MHESI to develop and coordinate a needs-oriented national VET system with the involvement of relevant actors from government, business and education have been strengthened, (2) Cooperation among relevant parties in the field of vocational training, including the technology industry, in order to adapt dual vocational training and learning is activated (3) In the textile sector, there is a Sector Skills Council, which is composed of representatives from industry and government agencies (4) The capacity of vocational training institutions to carry out training courses relevant to the textile sector has been strengthened and (5) Measures for the vocational orientation and career planning of pupils in general secondary schools and vocational training institutions have been developed in cooperation with industry. Due to the significant number of school leavers every year and the high demand for qualified workforce, there is a strong political will to establish an effective career guidance system in Uzbekistan. An important step towards increasing labour-market relevance of vocational education was introduction of dual VET in Uzbekistan in 2021 (Resolution No. 163 of 29.03.2021 'On Measures to Organise Dual Training in the Vocational Education System'). With establishment of Sectoral Skills Councils (SSC) in 2020, a legal basis for the systematic involvement of the private sector in VET was provided. However, some of the SSCs exist only formally and others fulfil the defined functions to a very limited extent. So covers the SSC in the textile sector, coordinated by TEXTILPROM, the development and modernisation of occupational standards. To take over further important tasks in VET such as Career Guidance, SSCs need organisational support and capacity building. Even though a significant step forward in the modernisation of the legal basis of VET has been made, Uzbek partners need support in putting into practice recently adopted regulations. In the field of Vocational Orientation and Career Planning, new cooperation models between public and private stakeholders have to be established. Another significant challenge for holistic and effective career guidance in Uzbekistan is the lack of information about diverse educational pathways, professions and opportunities offered by vocational training. Furthermore, VET is often perceived as less valuable and attractive than higher education. As in many other countries, gender stereotypes still play a role in Uzbekistan in the choice of profession. There is a lack of gender-specific measures that support girls and women in making an independent informed decision about their educational and career pathways.