VET Toolbox Malawi
In September 2021 Edinburgh College was selected as the UK partner institution for four technical and vocational colleges in Malawi for the VET Toolbox project, managed by the British Council and funded by the European Union. Partnering with colleges in Lilongwe, Mangochi, Mzuzu and Soche, Edinburgh College led on the design and delivery of a mentoring partnership project focused on Employer Engagement.
During the initial stages of the project, Edinburgh College conducted a thorough needs analysis, working closely with the Principals from its four partner colleges in Malawi to identify key issues to be addressed during the course of the 1-year mentoring partnership. A programme of 8 live online workshops was initiated, drawing on expertise from across Edinburgh College to share good practice, facilitate peer-to-peer discussion and instigate a range of projects to enhance approaches to Employer Engagement in the four partner colleges in Malawi.
The VET Toolbox project provided Edinburgh College with the opportunity to share its experience and expertise from working with around 2000 local and national employers in a range of ways, from co-designed curriculum to supporting employers to re-skill and upskill the workforce. The project also allowed Edinburgh College to learn from its project partners in Malawi to enhance its own activities in employer engagement as well as its experience working internationally in TVET consultancy.
Throughout the project, Edinburgh College sought to support its partners in Malawi to extend the impact of the VET Toolbox project to a wider network of stakeholders across Malawi, with support from the British Council and the Ministry of Education. Workshop topics and project activities were designed to engage diverse stakeholders including students, staff, college leaders, employers and policy makers to bring about individual, organisational and systemic change.