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Skills for Employment

For young people seeking skills and knowledge that can support their future, technical vocational education and training (TVET) is a relevant and high potential avenue to pursue. TVET equips young people with specialized skills that meet the demands of the local labour market.

WUSC empowers young people with employment skills in the following contexts: 

  • equipping youth with skills in dozens of trades in Sri Lanka;
  • securing futures for youth post-independence South Sudan;
  • contributing to re-building efforts in Haiti, post-earthquake. 

Plantation Communities Project in Sri Lanka

For Sri Lanka’s 300,000 Tamil tea pluckers and plantation workers, empowerment means much more than merely changing laws.  It means improving their daily living and working conditions. It means ensuring that they know their rights as Sri Lankan citizens. Most of all it means giving them the opportunities to shape their own futures.

Results: 
  • 10,000 Plantation residents have successfully navigated the complicated process of obtaining basic identity documents
  • Over 80 women's groups have received training to help them plan and implement community initiatives on gender inequality, violence against women, and access to health services and clean water
  • Hundreds of local youth have completed vocational training and secured good jobs working in the local welding, construction, hotel and garment industries
  • A number of plantations are promoting women to supervisory roles as a result of the training and activities under taken by the project
  • Rates of domestic violence have gone down while rates of participation in child care and household activities by men and boys have gone up

 

 

Tags: Basic Education, Life Skills, Sri Lanka, Skills For Employment, Skills for Employment, Development in Fragile Contexts, Strengthening Civil Society

Students Without Borders™

In an increasingly connected world, it is becoming vital for Canadian university and college students from various faculties to apply and share their knowledge and skills globally. Through SWB, students are provided with an internship opportunity to work and contribute to development projects with WUSC’s local partner organizations in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Based on a “needs driven” approach, both the student and the local partner organization benefit from such an experience.

Results: 
  • 55+ Canadian university and colleges had their students participate in SWB
  • 600+ Students have been placed for overseas placements in
  • 13 Countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America working in
  • 15+ Different sectors of work. including agriculture, communications, health and information technology
Placements: 

Fall 2012 placements are now online! View all placements currently available, and apply by the application deadline of June 1st, 2012 to swb@wusc.ca!

How to Apply
You must submit the following documents to swb@wusc.ca:

  • a copy of your résumé
  • letter of intent outlining why you are applying for a particular placement
  • three reference letters (including two academic)
  • a list of no more than three (3) placements to which you wish to apply.

If you are applying for more than one placement, please indicate an order of preference in your letter of intent.


Any current or recently graduated student from a Canadian university or college is eligible to apply for a SWB placement. 


For more information on SWB placements, costs and financial support please see the "Resources" section on the left-hand side of this page.

 

 

Students Without Borders™ is a WUSC iniative. Students Without Borders™ and Étudiants Sans FrontièresMC is not in any way affiliated with Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders. Doctors Without Borders is a registered-trademark of Bureau international de Médecins Sans Frontières. 

Tags: On Campus, Public Engagement, Engaging Students, Skills for Employment, Canada, Youth

International Seminar

For over 60 years, the WUSC-initiated International Seminar has provided Canadian students with their first in-depth experience in a developing country. Now run by the Uniterra program, the annual seminar offers an unforgettable opportunity to build bridges to a more equitable world and empowers both Canadian and host country participants to become development advocates on campuses and beyond.

Tags: Engaging Students, Youth Employment, Engaging Canadians, Private Sector Partnerships, Skills for Employment, Canada, Strengthening Civil Society

Plantation Teen Begins New Career

Patterns are hard to break. Especially for teenagers growing up on tea plantations in Sri Lanka. They’re isolated from other Sri Lankans, have few prospects for alternative occupations, and can easily get stuck in a cycle of economic dependence on tea plantation owners. That’s why WUSC works with teens who show an interest in gaining new skills and further education. Udayakumar’s story shows how WUSC is improving lives.

Tags: Life Skills, Plantation Communities Project in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka, Youth Employment, Skills for Employment, Development in Fragile Contexts, Strengthening Civil Society
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