Skills development for the water and sanitation sector

in Vietnam

On 8-9 April 2008, UNESCO-UNEVOC organised a review and planning meeting for the project “Poverty Alleviation in Urban and Rural Areas of Vietnam: Capacity Building and Skills Development to Enhance Employability in the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector” in Hanoi, Vietnam. The meeting achieved the following goals:

Revision and finalization of the draft project proposal;
Identification of relevant project partners and their relevant tasks and roles;
Identification of possible financial sources; and
Response to and finalization of other matters as raised by partner agencies during the meeting.

The project team (UNESCO-UNEVOC, UNESCO Jakarta, UNESCO Hanoi, NIVA, Norges Vel and InWEnt) and its Vietnamese counterparts (the UNEVOC Centre in Vietnam, the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs) collaboratively addressed these issues in light of the UN reform programme towards the harmonization of UN and donor contributions.

The project “Poverty Alleviation in Urban and Rural Areas of Vietnam: Capacity Building and Skills Development to Enhance Employability in the Water Supply and Sanitation Sector” addresses the problems of water pollution, impure water supply and inadequate wastewater treatment that adversely affect the health and economic well-being of communities. Vietnam is experiencing an increasing gap between labour market demand in key sectors and the supply of an adequately trained and qualified workforce. Serious skills shortages have, in particular, emerged within the water supply and sanitation sector. UNESCO-UNEVOC can play a key role in bridging the skills gap across this sector and in meeting new labour market demands associated with the introduction of new technologies, trades and competencies to support new water supply and sanitation systems. Through the UNEVOC Network and in collaboration with international partners, UNESCO-UNEVOC can support the development of skills as well as technical and organisational capacity to improve the water supply and sanitation sector.

Documents

Opening remarks Prof. Hubert Gijzen, DIR UNESCO Jakarta Office