1. Assessing the opportunities in technical and vocational education on the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua
Nicaragua Scoping Mission March 24-April 4, 2014
Conducted by
innovATE Program
innovATE

2. Scope of Work and Format
A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;
Scope of Work and Format

3. Steps taken Request from USAID Mission
Conference calls to develop scoping strategy
Draft SOW circulated
Background report drafted

4. Members of the team: Nicole Webster, Penn State (team leader)
Nicole Kernaghan, University of Florida
Tom Hammett, Virginia Tech
Raymon Shange, Tuskegee University
Henry Quesada, Virginia Tech
Grady Roberts, University of Florida

5. Vocational/Technical School
Meeting Training and Capacity Gaps
Youth
University
Supply
Primary School
Secondary School
University
Vocational/Technical School
Short-term
Education
Institution
Skills and Jobs
Work-force
development
Inputs
Demand
Production
Harvesting
Processing
Distribution
Value Chain (agriculture)

6. USAID Missions express interest in ATE
Program
Flowchart
Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education
Leads to
Results in
Structured by
USAID Missions express interest in ATE
Pre-scoping
dialogue
Scoping
activity
Plan for ATE innovations
Engage
InnovATE
through
Rapid assessment of key ATE factors
Guided by
Implements
ATE projects and activities
In-Depth
analysis of key ATE factors
Key ATE Factors:
Curriculum development
Faculty capacity
Pedagogy and teaching excellence
Gender balance and equity
Administration and management
Outreach
Infrastructure (labs, libraries, bandwidth, maintenance, sustainability)
Student services (recruitment, retention, mentoring)
Educational policy
Program Purpose: Strengthening agricultural training and education systems to improve the performance of the agricultural sector
Funding InnovATE is supported by a grant from USAID and managed by Virginia Tech’s Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED). This project was made possible by the United States Agency for International Development and the generous support of the American people through USAID Cooperative Agreement No. AID-OAA-L
March 18, 2013

7. Elements of Scoping Mission Methodology
InnovATE’s methodological approach included:
conducting a situational analysis of the current vocational education and training systems in Nicaragua
identifying employment needs and services, especially in vocational education, and
determining skill gaps as perceived by both potential employers, and training programs or educational institutions.  

8. Elements of Scoping Mission Methodology
InnovATE’s methodological approach included:
conducting a situational analysis of the current vocational education and training systems in Nicaragua
identifying employment needs and services, especially in vocational education, and
determining skill gaps as perceived by both potential employers, and training programs or educational institutions.  

9. Vocational Institutions Private sector Government NGO Donor Partners
Educational
UNA
UCA
INTA
BICU/URACAAN
Vocational Institutions
INATEC/El Recrero
Private sector
EcoPlanet
Ritter Sport
NIMAC
AmCham
AECID
Agrotourism and fishing industry
Government
MITRAB
Kriol Communal Government
NGO
Global Communities
CEDHECA
Donor Partners
FADCANIC
JICA
UNDP EU
IDB
A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;

10. What Has Been Accomplished in the Area of Vocational and Technical Training?
Training and development
Capacity Building
Curriculum redesign
Certificate programs

11. A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;
Overview of findings

12. Educational Institutions
Opportunities
Weaknesses:
Strengths
Trainings for certificates in agricultural
and related sciences
Experiential teaching pedagogy
Linkages with private industry
Expanding efforts that focus
Ecotourism and natural resources
Enhance curriculum (language and
Culture)
Community based and incorporates local culture and diversity
Limited private sector relationships
Lack of practical training facilitates and resources
Short term courses coordinated with private and public sector

13. Private Sector Opportunities Weaknesses Strengths
Committed to diversity (gender)
High certification and operational
standards
Preexisting relationship between
agribusiness communities
Support and development existing
pathways for upward mobility of women
Development of short courses that
compliment these efforts
Development of an agribusiness
consortium
Environmental sustainability
Nonexistent or weak relationships
with education sector in RAAS region
Reliant on foreign experts for training
Access to loans and credit
Short courses, internships and targeted recruitment efforts
Build local capacity of Nicaraguan trainers (TOT model)
Trainings for access to loan and credit
(UNDP model- support system)

14. Public Sector Opportunities Weaknesses Strengths
Existing relationships with universities
Community/producer support
Diverse technical and educational
resources
Develop an exchange network for
partners to tap into resources
Develop producer certification courses
for certain crops and techniques
Diagnose and target educational and
technical material for specific economy
and geographic locations
Community based and incorporates local culture and diversity
Development of youth advisory board – funded and supported by USAID to provide opportunities for strengthen technical and social skills for young adults in the field – would allow for future work as entrepnuers and small business owners who reinvest in their communities, thereby creating a cycle for homegrown producers, suppliers, and educators
Limited private sector relationships
Export of intellectual and technical knowledge (especially youth adults)
Develop private sector short courses
Create opportunities for inclusion in development and delivery of trainings, short courses, and related material

15. Donor Partners Opportunities Weaknesses Strengths
Existing activities and programs in
the field of agriculture
Development of curriculum and resources
and training materials
Strengthen existing activities through
regional workshops and staff
development training
Development of a best practices model
and resources guide or manual for
future investors/programmers
Community based and incorporates local culture and diversity
Uncoordinated training and programmatic efforts with other agencies
Develop a clearinghouse of material and resources that can be accessed by staff and others working in the area

16. Commonalities among training programs
Programs have a community element and inclination towards culture
Experiential based learning (field work)
Building technical skills
Degree or certificate upon completion

17. Identified issues among training programs
Demand of offered trainings does not meet current social and economic demands
Poor infrastructure and facilities in certain areas
Limited funds = small class size or availability
Geographic limitations
A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;

18. Connections and Relationships
A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;
Connections and Relationships

19. Current relationship pattern
Universities
Private sector
Public sector
Donor partners/NGOs
Current relationship pattern

20. Integration of youth voice and public private sector
Vocational and Technical Education
Universities
Private sector
Public sector
Donor partners
Youth*
A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;
Integration of youth voice and public private sector

21. Preliminary Recommendations
A rapid assessment involving semi-structured interviews and focus groups was employed and covered the following four components :
An overview of the enabling environment;
Preliminary Recommendations

22. Recommendations
Build the capacities of universities and training centers in RAAS Region:
Target small and medium-size CBOs and private sector for funding and training investments
Expand activities in underserved areas of Bluefields (language, facilities)
Make curriculum and training in local languages

23. Recommendations
Partner with existing private sector and donors to build capacity and reach of trainings
Include youth representative in activities (inclusivity, continuity, and sustainability
Create a university consortium that will assist with training, development, and evaluation of new and current curriculum and training efforts

24. Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education
Photo credit: Gates Foundation

25. Strengthen full range of programs:
Primary and secondary schools
Vocational & technical schools
Youth
Workforce development
Higher education institutions

26. InnovATE Program: Program activities include:
Strengthening agricultural training and education systems to improve the performance of the agricultural sector
Program activities include:
Research on AET capacity building
Organizing conferences on AET
Developing AET community of practice
Raising awareness about AET capacity
Needs assessments (scoping)
Projects to improve AET

27. Supporting capacity building includes:
AET system development, analytic work
Syntheses of lessons learned
case studies
Investment needs analysis
Evaluations
System profiles

28. Completed and ongoing work:
Sustainability of agribusiness center (Armenia)
Water Saving Agriculture (Jordan)
Agriculture policy training (Uganda)
Faculty training (South Sudan)
Cambodia – beginning in January 2014
Youth, workforce development (Indonesia)
Nicaragua – high risk youth

29. Our findings include:
System approach needed - a “pipeline” (youth, high school, then college)
Agricultural careers have become less desirable
Skills =/= jobs
Direct links between food supplies, environmental stewardship and AET
Need curricula that include newest technologies
AET needs to be demand driven

30. What we have learned? AET includes:
Full range: recruiting, retention, mentoring (career, academic) alumni
Developing outreach to link to real life experiences and research opportunities
Infrastructure, management, fund raising
Policy making and administration
Changes happening; some quicker than expected (i.e., conflict) (response/resilience)
Gender increasingly addressed
Changing demographics in schools, colleges

31. Thank you for your attention
Questions?

32. Innovation for Agricultural Training and Education
Photo credit: Gates Foundation