NCC, ADB call for TVET to focus on employment outcomes
KATHMANDU: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have held talks on aligning Nepal’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system with industry needs and employment opportunities.
The meeting at Chamber Bhawan in Jamal, Kathmandu, on Friday was attended by NCC President Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal and ADB Senior Education Specialist Jeffrey Jian Xu.
“Employment outcomes must become the key performance indicator of Nepal’s TVET system,” Agrawal said. He emphasised that TVET success should be measured by employment rates, employer satisfaction, productivity and business creation rather than trainee numbers or issued certificates.
Delegates proposed an ADB-NCC industry skills survey, supported by the bank, to identify demand for a skilled workforce across sectors including manufacturing, construction, tourism, information technology, energy, agriculture, agro-processing, automobiles, logistics, e-commerce and export-oriented industries.
Agrawal urged that young people be equipped with industry-relevant skills through practical and workplace-based training, and called for certificates to be awarded on the basis of demonstrated skills and informal work experience to be recognised.
He also sought a formal role for the private sector in shaping TVET curricula and professional standards, extending industry involvement beyond advisory functions to include skill identification, curriculum development, training, apprenticeships, evaluation, certification and job placement.
To prepare Nepali youth for local enterprise, service exports and international job markets, Agrawal recommended adopting international skill standards and asked for ADB support in establishing shared training centres, apprenticeship programmes and digital training platforms tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises.
During the meeting, Jian Xu said the ADB is ready to support practical, demand-driven training systems that help young people secure quality employment. Likewise, Agrawal suggested industry-led TVET, demand-driven investment, apprenticeships, digital skills and employment-based assessments should be priorities, and that the NCC stands ready to strengthen partnerships with the ADB, the Government of Nepal and training providers.
