Project Overview
The Graduate Training Centre (GTC) is a new IR initiative in Mali, and has been adopted by the government as a pilot project in developing a national education strategy.

This unique project targets young unemployed graduates and enables them to enhance their IT skills, increasing their competitiveness when applying for their first job.

Problem / Project Background
Mali is one of the three poorest countries of the world, and this poverty directly impacts on the quality of education and training amongst the emerging workforce.

Mali is in need of civil servants, business administrators and national NGO officers who are skilled in administration, management and new office technologies.

The lack of relevant skills and experience within the workforce is often cited as a major problem for institutional and corporate employers, who resort to poaching staff from each other and paying higher wages than necessary. This problem is compounded by an environment of very high unemployment amongst graduates and the workforce generally.

As highlighted in reports compiled by various NGOs, every year thousands of graduates are injected into the employment market in Mali, only to find that the demand for their services is far less than supply.

A large number of graduates are left without employment, very often for several years. The figures for unemployed graduates are striking,, with the projection for the next five years numbering at present approximately 20,000 unemployed graduated youth (figure is for Universities & Technical institutes only).

Considering the fact that 49% of the total population of Mali is 15 years of age and below, it is vital, to have a clear vision and planning to accommodate the needs for this category of the population and the Government recognise this fact.

The costs of the programme of development for the whole country are immense and the government don't have the necessary financial resources to meet it all.

However, they have established co-ordinating bodies to help allocate resources, as well as to look for initiation of contacts and links with donor agencies to support the activities within this programme.

Project Goal
To contribute to the improvement of the economic and social life of the people of Mali through the reduction of the chronic problem of unemployment and poverty amongst young people.

Project Objectives
The project's wider objectives are:

1. Improving the skills of unemployed graduates in new office technologies
2. Increasing the percentage of young graduates in employment
3. Assisting young unemployed graduates in developing their career planning
4. Helping young unemployed graduates set up their own businesses
5. Establishing a job search mechanism for young unemployed graduates
   

Project Activities

1. Intensive IT training courses covering four modules (Level I, II, III and IV)
2. Cyber Café evening sessions
3. Job search and placement
4. Business planning and guidance
5. Counselling and advice
   
   

Beneficiaries
This project targets young unemployed graduates. At its present capacity, the Graduate Training Centre can provide 759 young graduates with the training, and also proivdes internet access to 2016 clients having access.

However, the Government has requested IR to expand the beneficiary group to include all unemployed graduates (not only recent graduates) due to the chronic problem of job availability.

Also the Government has requested IR to include other beneficiary group (for example the handicapped) as well as those who work in the public services.