The 2016 Education and Skills Network meeting is jointly organised by the Department of Labour and Employment, Philippines, ADB, OECD and GIZ and the latter’s regional programme RECOTVET (“Regional Cooperation Programme to Improve the Training of TVET Personnel”), which aims at supporting and creating personnel, institutional and thematic preconditions for quality improvement and regional harmonisation of the education and training of training personnel in South East Asia over the next years.

1. 8th annual expert meeting of the initiative on Employment
and Skills Strategies in Southeast Asia (ESSSA) and
4th Regional Policy Dialogue on TVET
“The role of the private sector in
skills development and employment”
Sourisack Souphanthong
Deputy Director of Division of Skills Standard Development,
Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, Laos
11-12 October, 2016
Cebu, Philippines

2. Contents
1. Technical and Vocational Education and
Training(TVET) in Laos.
2. Draft of National Qualification Framework
3. Scope of Skills Levels
4. Current National Skills Standards
5. Development on Matching Skills and Jobs.
6. Challenges and Issues.
7. Decree on Fund for TVET and Skills
Development

3. 1. Technical and Vocational Education
and Training(TVET) in Laos.
TVET under two ministries - Ministry of Education and
Sports(MoES) and Ministry of labour and Social
Welfare(MoLSW).
- MoES for vocational and technical education(diploma courses from
1 up 3 years) and higher education. There are 154 providers; mostly
they are private
- MoLSW for skills development and training ; courses in up to six
months; its certification is so called skills levels(1-5). There are
now 11 providers. Seven of these are public.
National Council for Vocational and Skills Development Training
has been established in 2010 and chaired by Minister of MoES
while Vice Minister of MoLSW and President of Lao National
Chamber of Commerce and Industry are vice chairs.

4. 2. (Draft) Lao National Qualification
Framework(NQF)
QF
Level
Higher Education
(MoES)
TVET
(MoES)
Skill Development
(MoLSW)
8 Doctoral Degree
7 Master’s Degree
6 Bachelor’s
Degree
5 Advanced
Diploma Certificate Level 5 - Supervisor
4 Diploma Certificate Level 4 - Tradesman
3 Certificate 3 Certificate Level 3 – Skilled worker
2
Certificate 2 Certificate Level 2 - Semi- Skilled
worker
1
Certificate 1
Certificate Level 1 - Basic Skilled
worker
4

5. 3. Scope of Skills Levels
Qualification Job level Skill, Knowledge and Ability
Certificate 1 1. Basic skilled worker Understands safety requirements.
Has basic practical skills and operational knowledge in a defined
range of tasks.
Can carry out routine tasks under direction with limited responsibility.
Can access and record information.
Certificate 2 1. Semi-skill worker Understands safety requirements.
Has basic practical skills and operational knowledge in a defined
range of tasks.
Can perform routine tasks given clear direction under skilled worker.
Can receive and pass on information.
Can access and record information.
Certificate 3 2. Skilled worker Understands safety requirements.
Has practical skills and operational knowledge in a range of tasks.
Can carry out skilled tasks on own.
Can advise others whose skills are lower.
Certificate 4 3. Tradesman Has theoretical knowledge with a range of well developed skills.
Can apply solutions to routine problems.
Can interpret available information.
Can take responsibility for output of others.
Certificate 5 4. Supervisor Has a broad knowledge base, and can apply some theoretical
concepts
Can identify, apply skills and knowledge, and analyze information
Understands and secure quality, safety and environmental issues
5

6. Construction Sector (2009-11)dard
1. Reinforced concrete
2. Brick laying
3. Cast Plaster and Faced Cornice
4. Plumbing
5. Welding
6. Electric installation
7. Wood furniture
8. Floor and wall tiling
9. Aluminum and glass
10. Painting
6
4. Current National Skill Standards(27 areas)
1. Electrical/Electronic system
2. Engine Performance
3. Chassis
4. Air Conditioning/Heating
5. Auto body Painting
6. Auto body Repairer
7. Drive train and axles
Automotive Sector(2012-13)
ICT Sector (2013-14)
Tourism and Hospitality Sector (2013-14)
1. Front Office
2. Tour Guide
3. Food and Beverage
4. Cooking
1. Computer Maintenance
2. Computer Network
Maintenance
3. Software Development
4. Database Development
5. Web Design
6. Mobile Phone Maintenance

7. 5. Development on Matching Skills and Jobs
- Established in 2009, nine employment service job centers
(ESJCs) have increasingly provided for job seekers career
guidance, employability support and counseling.
- 15 recruitment agencies including one state enterprise
facilitate in employment promotion and services.
- Job fairs.
- Skills training and vocational education providers have
counseling units.
However, there are some factors resulting to mismatching
between job vacancies with skills and professions, and in
unemployment:
- Inappropriate decision on course/subjects.
- High supply with less demand.

8. Lack of competent instructors/ trainers;
Teaching and learning methods are not regularly
updated;
Employers are less engaged in skills development
and employment promotion;
Physical facilities and equipment are not
consistent with industrial requirements;
6. Challenges and Issues

9. Budget and programs for enhancing the skill
development system is limited;
Practical testing and certification are carried out
individually;
There is a need to develop the quality assurance
of skills development;
Limited Labour Market Information and
Programs
6. Challenges and Issues(cont.)

10. Not all of the current standards have been
inclusive in the current development of skills
training curriculum due to the lack of assessors,
infrastructure, equipment…;
National Qualification Framework(NQF), in
terms of level descriptors, needs further
development and endorsement in order to help
improving training mechanism and the regional
integration;
6. Challenges and Issues(cont)

11. 7. Decree on Fund for TVET and Skills Development
With reference to the Law on Labour, the decree has been
drafted that aims at raising revenue to finance skills
development and training.
The decree defines the clauses as follows:
- An employer shall contribute amount equivalent to 1% of the
salary/wage of his employees; this support is sent to the national
monetary fund at Ministry of Finance.
- The amount of 1% from income tax that employees pay to national
monetary fund.
The Ministry of Finance transfers these contributions to
National Council for Vocational and Skills Development
Training to manage.
Besides the financial support from these sources, loans,
overseas development assistance, revenue/interest generated
from the fund itself are other adds on to the fund.

12. Thank your!