Improving Access to Employment Program

Training in skills such as computer technology and the English Language is essential in matching job seekers’ abilities to demands of potential employers. Photo by Ariel da Silva Parreira/sxc.hu

Access to employment is a continual challenge in El Salvador, a country where citizens face a high level of underemployment and where many can only find work in the informal sector. Many disenchanted youth look to immigration or illicit activities for economic opportunities. A skilled workforce will not only improve the economic stability of the country, but will also impact the overall social wellbeing and health of its citizens.

According to the World Economic Forum, which compares countries’ potential for sustainability and long-term prosperity, El Salvador ranks 77 out of 133 on the Global Competetivness Index. In their 2009-2010 report, the Forum listed the lack of a qualified workforce as one of the greatest barriers to attracting businesses to El Salvador. In response to this challenge, USAID will invest in improving the job market information available to students and job seekers and support the training and skill development necessary to increase El Salvador’s competetivity in the global market.

Current Activities

• Improving Skills and Competencies - USAID works with employers and institutions dedicated to workforce training and curriculum specialists to develop industry standards regarding the skills and competencies needed by private industry. USAID supports the design of specialized programs that meet identified needs. Together with our partners, USAID provides trainers with the knowledge and teaching methodology they need to train Salvadoran adults in the skills and certifications that employers require.
• Expanding Consumer-Based Employment Reporting and Career Counseling - USAID will works with governmental institutions and other organizations to create a system that provides students with information about the quality of education provided by technical and vocational training centers, as well as statistics regarding postgraduate success and career opportunities.
• Improving the Labor Market Information System – Labor Market Information systems provide employers, government, training institutions, employees, students and recent graduates, and job seekers with the information to understand the current situation of the job market and plan adequate policies and programs around that labor market information. USAID is working to create an informational system that can regularly produce useful information on labor market needs, trends, and supply and demand.
• Creating Alliances and Public-Private Partnerships – USAID will work with alliances and public-private partnerships with local organizations to extend the model with the expectation that other donors and/or financial institutions will replicate it.

Achievements

• 4,100 students and workers (2,100 women) have benefitted from the program, either through training or job placement services.
• 1,030 persons (350 women) have gained employment or better employment as a result of participating in the program.
• 18 alliances have been created with the private sector and governmental entities.

Documents

• Improving Access to Employment Program [136.59 KB | 2011-08-01]

Contact:

Rafael E. Cuéllar
USAID/El Salvador
503-2501-3309
racuellar@usaid.gov