- add-style
- lp-body-content
What is the Skills for Economic Transformation and Jobs Program in Eastern and Southern Africa (SET4Jobs)?
The Skills for Economic Transformation and Jobs Program in Eastern and Southern Africa (SET4Jobs) is expected to equip 18 million youth with better education and skills and contribute to millions of new jobs. The program, which will support countries over eight years through a multi-phase approach, aligns investments in skills with specific value chains poised for job growth and is supported with a $972 million financing package, funded through the International Development Association (IDA).
Under SET4Jobs, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) will coordinate activities and facilitate networks of universities and TVET institutions to deliver joint programs, promote applied research, and share innovations across borders, in line with the program’s objectives.
What will the program do in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
The DRC Skills for Economic Transformation project is a $300 million initiative to be implemented over five years. The project is aligned with the priorities of DRC's National Strategic Development Plan and identifies diversification, inclusive growth, and skills development as drivers of economic transformation. It complements three megaprojects currently underway in DRC – namely Inga 3, the Lobito Corridor, and the PACT projects – by building a pipeline of highly specialized skills needed to maximize their impact.
The DRC project will support the establishment of the Inga Academy of Excellence in the Province of Kongo Central as a flagship intervention. It will also expand selected institutions to strengthen skills development for the three megaprojects, as well as for the broader job market across six priority sectors: energy and mining; transport and logistics; agriculture and agribusiness; industry and manufacturing; tourism; and digital technology.
Who will benefit?
The DRC Skills for Economic Transformation project is expected to equip one million young people with the competencies they need to succeed in the job market, spanning the full skills spectrum— from basic and intermediate to advanced. Further, 120,000 youth Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET) and other vulnerable youth will receive certified training, 8,000 young entrepreneurs/apprentices will be supported, and 5,000 business plans will be funded (50% of which will be women-led).
Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions at both secondary and tertiary levels will benefit from the project's support, including infrastructure rehabilitation and equipment upgrades, the revision and development of market-responsive training curricula, and the training of trainers to strengthen their capacity to deliver high quality training aligned with national priorities and industry needs. Existing training institutions will be strategically selected across the DRC and supported to deliver skills training in priority sectors from the first year of implementation. This is to respond to urgent labor market needs while the Inga Academy of Excellence becomes operational.
How will the project be implemented in the DRC?
In the DRC, the Ministry of Professional Training will lead the implementation of the project with strong coordination with other line ministries involved in the skills development landscape. A Project Implementation Unit (PIU), with extensive experience in project implementation and that is currently supporting the DRC Quality and Relevance of Secondary and Higher Education Project (PEQIP), will carry out implementation. The project will also support capacity building activities to further strengthen the PIU and ensure efficient and timely delivery.
The DRC project, which is expected to become effective on September 1, 2026, will mobilize strong private sector engagement to ensure successful implementation. Private sector participation will include: (i) the review and development of market-relevant curricula, (ii) training-of-trainers programs, (iii) student training and apprenticeship/internship opportunities, (iv) the construction of the Inga Academy of Excellence, (v) the management and operation of the Academy, (vi) the provision of scholarships for girls and vulnerable youth, and (vii) strategic and technical advisory support.