Armenia

The overall objective of the project was to contribute to the reduction of irregular migration through supporting economic integration and creating job opportunities for the graduate students of Armenian boarding schools.

The project aimed at developing vocational skills in hair dressing, dress making, carpet making, carpentry, shoe making, animal breeding, bee farming, car wash and repair, etc. for the future years.  The products first of all are to satisfy needs of the project beneficiaries and their households.  Many socially weak families cannot afford buying necessary clothes, shoes, books and it becomes one of the major obstacles for sending their children to schools.

In the frames of this three-year Project on Prevention of Irregular Migration from Armenia through Vocational Training and Creating Job Opportunities boarding school teachers and students in different regions of Armenia (Yerevan, Syunki region, Gegharkunik region, Vanadzor Region, Shirak region) will be offered TOT and vocational trainings accordingly. This will enhance the school students competitiveness in the labour market to find employment or start their own businesses after graduation. The training will include improving the teaching skills of the school teachers in vocational trainings, and will help the school students’s mastering such professions or crafts as hair dressing, dress making, carpet making, carpentry, shoe making, animal breeding, bee farming, car wash and repair, etc. and the basics of entrepreneurship.  The project is implemented by IOM Yerevan in partnership with IOM Prague from the funding of International Development Cooperation program of the Czech Republic.

During the 3 Project years, the vocational courses were attended by almost 1500 students (2005: 338, 2006: 300, 2007: 850 students). Further, 25 rooms for vocational trainings were reconstructed in the boarding schools.

In the 3rd year, direct Project results showed up when first of the trained students found employment in the field of their vocational courses, or continued in further education.

Also, a very positive result was inclusion of the vocational courses into the regular school curricula, which lead to sustainability of the activities.