The Vocational and Skills Acquisition Project (VASAP), an initiative launched by the CIA Foundation, aims to equip underprivileged and disadvantaged individuals with essential vocational skills and training. This project recognises the importance of practical skills in enhancing employability and fostering economic independence among these communities.

VASAP’s primary objective is to offer vocational training and skills development opportunities tailored to the job market’s needs. These opportunities include vocational courses such as carpentry, plumbing, soap making, shoe making, electrical work, tailoring, cooking, and digital skills. The project is geared towards underprivileged individuals seeking to improve their livelihoods through skill acquisition.

A key component of VASAP is its partnership with local businesses, vocational schools, and industry professionals. These partnerships are crucial for providing practical, hands-on training and ensuring the skills taught are relevant and in demand. Additionally, VASAP collaborates with employment agencies and local enterprises to facilitate job placements and internships for participants, thereby bridging the gap between training and employment.

VASAP also places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurial training. Participants are not only taught vocational skills but are also educated in basic business principles, financial literacy, and market analysis. This aspect of the program is designed to empower participants to start their businesses, contributing to local economic growth and development.

The project operates cyclically, with periodic enrolment phases followed by intensive training periods and subsequent support for job placement or business start-ups. Resources are allocated for the procurement of training materials, the hiring of skilled trainers, and the development of training facilities.

VASAP includes a robust monitoring and evaluation system to measure the project’s effectiveness. Success is gauged not just by the number of participants trained but also by the rate of employment or business creation following the completion of the programme. Feedback from participants, trainers, and local businesses is regularly solicited to refine and improve the project continually.

The Vocational and Skills Acquisition Project by the CIA Foundation is a transformative initiative that seeks to empower underprivileged individuals through vocational training and skills development. By aligning practical skills training with market needs and entrepreneurial education, VASAP aims to create pathways to employment and economic self-sufficiency, significantly impacting the communities it serves.