Accelerating Work Achievement and Readiness for Employment (AWARE3) Global Development Alliance Progress Report April 2021 to June 2021

Morgan Foundation, Education Development Center (EDC), and USAID. The project aims to prepare Indonesian youth for full engagement in the emerging digital economy. AWARE3 is a two-year initiative that will build local government capacity in 25 Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK) in Jakarta to establish and grow partnerships between schools and the private sector. The project's goal is to enhance the employability of students and strengthen connections between students, SMKs, and private sector entities in the modern economy. AWARE3 will implement an evidence-based soft skills training program and a training package for teachers, as well as industry classes in five high-demand industries identified by the Jakarta Education Agency (JEA): maritime, information communications technology (ICT), creative industries, tourism, and tourism-related services. AWARE3 will also develop resources that will enable self-reliant replication beyond Jakarta. The project will focus on building local government capacity, strengthening private sector engagement, and developing resources for self-reliant replication. AWARE3 will also establish partnerships between schools and the private sector, and develop a training package for teachers to enhance teacher capacity. During the first quarter of the project, EDC conducted several outreach and communications events to raise awareness and promote the benefits of the AWARE3 project. The project hosted a roundtable series with over 30 participants, including government and private sector partners, to discuss youth workforce challenges and opportunities in the digital economy. The roundtable discussion focused on Intermediate Results for AWARE3 GDA, including Improved SMK and private sector capacity to cooperate and align training to industry demands, and Enhanced Private Sector Engagement. The project also implemented Cohort 1's WRN Skills Training program, Modules 0 through 6, and developed and piloted AWARE3's new Virtual Industry Class in partnership with MEI, including student internships. The project also monitored and supported School Managers to support and train teachers, including identifying emerging training needs and providing formal and informal support. AWARE3 has made significant progress in achieving its Intermediate Results. The project has implemented several activities to improve SMK and private sector capacity to cooperate and align training to industry demands. The project has also increased awareness among key stakeholders and partners about the AWARE3 model and its benefits. The project has also achieved several milestones, including Milestone 7, where at least 2,500 students (Cohort 1) received technical and soft skills training, and Milestone 8, where Cohort 1 students (at least 25%) participated in work experiences to facilitate pathways to employment. The project has also launched the Lessons Learned from Cohort 1 and planning for Cohort 2. AWARE3 has also established partnerships with private sector partners to provide structure and training on Super Tax Deduction to incentivize PSPs who engage with SMKs. The project has also trained more teachers to implement soft-skills curriculum and incentivized teachers who are implementing the curriculum. The project has also engaged PSPs to provide Master Classes in industry demands and conducted a series of meetings with policy makers (JEA and MoECRT) to strengthen and increase soft-skills development in national curriculum. The project has also supported the implementation of the final set of modules for the WRN skills training program and developed helpful tracking and monitoring tools to assess and report progress. The project has also faced some periodic challenges with the Google Classroom modality and worked to address these challenges. AWARE3 has received positive testimonials from students who have participated in the virtual internship program. The students have expressed their gratitude to the industry, AWARE3, and the facilitators for providing them with valuable skills and knowledge. The students have also expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to work outside their comfort zone and develop their entrepreneurial skills. Overall, AWARE3 has made significant progress in achieving its goals and objectives. The project has established partnerships with private sector partners, developed resources for self-reliant replication, and implemented several activities to improve SMK and private sector capacity to cooperate and align training to industry demands.