Skills for Economic Growth Program (Solomon Islands)

⁠⁠⁠DFAT’s new investment in vocational skills is designed to help close the gap between industry demand for, and Solomon Islands' supply of skilled labour. The Skills for Economic Growth program aims to shift Solomon Islands’ current technical vocational training system from a postcolonial supply driven model to a suite of demand driven training that meets the needs of industry and fills critical skills shortages.

The program will include support to the Ministry for Education to develop a new national qualifications framework and a gradual shift to competency based training. There will be tangible investments in developing the quality of courses in high need areas such as in construction, trades, tourism, and early childhood. As well as working in the formal employment sector, there will also be a focus on linking short courses to small business development in the informal economy.

The term of the managing contractor engagement will be for 2 years. DFAT is seeking a managing contractor that is also a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), or will partner with an RTO, so that the program can issue qualifications ahead of Solomon Islands developing its own National Qualifications Framework with its own accreditation and registration architecture. The Managing Contractor will manage pools of highly qualified and experienced long term and short term advisers to implement Program output.