Human Resource Capacity Building In Small Enterprises' Promotion (The Case Of El Obied Vocational Training Centre ( Vtc

Abstract

This research work studies the role of vocational training in skills acquisition and capacity building to promote the small enterprise sector and contribute to the reduction of unemployment rate and consequently alleviate poverty, which is a widely adopted approach. The study tackles in detail the case of El-Obied VTC project in promoting the small enterprise sector in the area. The main questions raised by the study are; What are the benefits of the small enterprises?. What types of interventions and training programmes that had been provided by the vocational training system to promote the small enterprises sector? Have the training programmes met the training needs of the sector?. The research also investigates the forms of constraints that hindered the experience with the aim of taking remedial measures to improve the performance of similar future projects. For a broad analytical framework literature on vocational training, small enterprises, and similar experiences in some neighbouring countries has been reviewed. Primary data was collected through interviews and discussions with project\\\\\\\'s officers, instructors and trainees. Secondary data sources were also consulted including the ILO Training Needs Assessment report, El Obied VTC project progress reports and some books and periodicals. The project had faced a series of conceptual, logistical, managerial, financial constraints, besides the socio-economic constraints that were facing the Small Enterprise Sector. The study concludes that there is a worldwide recognition of the role of small enterprises in job creation and in the positive role that the vocational training could play in contributing to the promotion of skills of the small enterprises. Furthermore, El Obied VTC had provided institutional and on-site technical and management training programmes in accordance with the training needs assessment that had been previously identified for the small enterprises sector. Nonetheless, the training conducted and extended was found to be urban bias, neglecting the rural sector. It is, therefore, recommended that stakeholders should be involved in the very earlier stages of projects development, conceptualization, planning and implementation. In addition, national expertise should be sought, in accordance with equitable and just criteria in selection, as they better understand the environment of the project and the working conditions in the country, hence a realistic implementable project with significantly reduced costs could be reached. The experience of El Obied VTC could be developed and replicated elsewhere in the country