The Workshop on the pilot completion aimed at alignment of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) strategic objectives and performance indicators with the International Human Resource Development (HRD) Policy Instruments. It was conducted under the International Labour Organization project “Applying the G20 Training strategy: A partnership of the ILO and the Russian Federation” (Phase 2).

During the final Workshop the results of the above-mentioned pilot project were shared with 60 participants including high-rank officials from State bodies of the Republic of Armenia (RA), Employers and Workers organizations, the ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Eastern and Central Asia, representatives from ILO headquarters, donor community representatives, as well as experts and practitioners on education, employment and labor market from Armenia, Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan, and Belarus.

The main objective of the pilot project was to strengthen the capacity of state bodies and social Partners in analyzing and reforming the TVET system through better alignment of its relevant national priorities, objectives, and planning processes in line with the ILO’s and UNESCO’s Conventions and Recommendations, the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, European Union policy and advanced experience of the G20 countries.

Mrs. Anapiosyan, RA Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport, in her address stated that the “Applying the G20 Training strategy: A partnership of the ILO and the Russian Federation” Project contributed to the TVET strategic planning in Armenia in a comprehensive way. Mrs. Anapiosyan stated: “We are trying to align our national peculiarities with international development trends”.

The pilot resulted in the development of a 5-year TVET strategic plan, which includes new strategic objectives and relevant indicators, as well as an action plan supporting the achievement of the projected indicators. The document was elaborated by an interagency technical working group (ITWG) established by order of the RA Minister of Education and Science in August, 2018. The ITWG is formed by specialists from the RA Ministry of Labor and Social affairs; RA Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport; RA Ministry Economy, Employers’ and Workers’ organizations, the National Center for TVET Development, the National Training Fund, the National Statistics Committee and TVET institutions. As a result, wide range of experts, specialists and partners were involved and had the opportunity to review, interpret and apply in practice international advanced experience on strategic planning of skills development systems.

In his welcoming remarks, Mr. Pouchkin, Senior Employment Specialist from the ILO Eastern Europe and Central Asia Office, pointed out that the “Applying the G20 Training strategy: A partnership of the ILO and the Russian Federation” Project funded by the Russian Federation contributes to the Development of Armenia. At the same time, he emphasized the role of tripartism in the Project interventions through participation of social partners in the Project management structures, technical working groups, consultations and elaboration of recommendations on skills development. Mr. Pouchkin has underlined that it is only through social dialogue that sustainable results can be achieved within the framework of the Project.

The role of social partnership was also emphasized by Mr. Kharatyan, Deputy Chairman of Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia, who expressed thankfulness to the Russian Federation for supporting skills development in the country. He also expressed his appreciation to the ILO Moscow office as well as ILO local staff in Armenia who he mentioned constantly contribute to strengthening of social dialogue at a national level. Mr. Kharatyan has also congratulated the ILO on its 100th anniversary and wished workshop participants a productive work.

Currently Armenia is engaged in development of Educational Strategy until 2025 as well as the 2019-2023 Employment Strategy. The proposed TVET strategic objectives and performance indicators for 2019-2023, reflect the advanced experience of G20 countries in the field of skills development, and at the same time are aligned with the national vision on Education and the draft Employment Strategy , whichput at the core of the plan a human-centered approach aimed at investing in people’s knowledge and skills in ways that can create productive employment and decent wok for all, based on the principles of social dialogue.

The pilot project implemented under the ILO “Applying the G20 Training strategy: A partnership of the ILO and the Russian Federation” (Phase 2) Project made a significant contribution towards the harmonization of policy papers across Skills and Employment sectors at the national level in line with the International Human Resource Development (HRD) Policy Instruments.