BEEP Facilitators Receive Career Counselling ToT
A one-day virtual Training of Trainers (ToT) on Career Counselling and Guidance was organized on 25 May 2021 for 77 facilitators of the Basic Education Equivalency Programme (BEEP), learning center managers and the technical team of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) and the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT). Under the Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia project (DEY Phase-II 2020-2023) UNESCO and the National Employment Agency (NEA) have developed the Manual for Career Counselling and Guidance for BEEP facilitators so that they are capable of supporting the development of career pathways among out-of-school youth including further skills training, and dissemination of information about job placement services, upon the completion of BEEP.
The manual consists of topics and content suggested by NEA, UNESCO and DEY team based on the specific demographic of the BEEP learners: out-of-school youth or youth that have dropped out of school and therefore, have had limited to no access to formal education and/or career counseling regarding their professional interests, strengths and opportunities available. The modules factor in the location of BEEP target provinces and the specific Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) opportunities available there, as well as the emerging economic realities of Cambodia post COVID-19.
In his remarks, Excellency Hay Hunleng, Director General of NEA, said that this ToT is quite important, and it will prepare BEEP facilitators as career counsellors who will provide all employment-related advice and information needed. One of the BEEP facilitators, Ms. Vit Tevak Vichny said she is excited to receive this capacity training. She added that most of the BEEP learners always require career counselling service and employment and skills related information while they are taking the BEEP course.
Mr. Danilo Padilla, Chief of Education Unit of UNESCO Phnom Penh Office, said that even though alternative and flexible learning modality through the BEEP is benefiting our learners, they face enormous challenges when making decisions about the selection of skills or future career paths. He added that the main causes include the lack of information and, most importantly, having limited access to career counselling services. In addition, learners within the factories may lack confidence in themselves since most of them have dropped out of school for a long time. Mr. Padilla reiterated that through counselling service, youth learners will increase their awareness of the wide variety of skills training options and professions available to them to find the right employment.
Supported by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and contributions from UNESCO, MoEYS, MLVT and Smart Axiata, the BEEP is entering its expansion phase under United for Decent Employment for Youth in Cambodia (DEY Phase-II), which will fund at least the establishment of 35 BEEP learning centers across 15 provinces in Cambodia by 2023.
Click here for more information about the BEEP.