Training provider assessment : Mali -- final report

The questionnaire was administered by a joint American and Malian consultant team during in-depth one-on-one or groups interviews that lasted from 1-1.5 to 2.5 hours. Of the 32 providers, only 4 were located outside of the capital city. The sample institutions were drawn from the key sectors of business management, planning, and administration; accounting and financial management; computer and secretarial services training; creation of small business and microenterprise development; women and rural animation; and English language training. Special institutional strengthening investigations were completed for 19 training providers, half from the private sector. This report provides detailed information on each provider (computerized TPA database reports) and written summaries of key content areas and priority providers. Assessment findings reveal the existence of: (1) sufficient in-country training resources to meet demand and a wide array of training/technical assistance options; (2) healthy competition among private training providers; and (3) interest among public agencies and institutions in modifying their programs or expanding their courses/consulting services to target entrepreneurs and private sector employers. On the negative side, the study also found that many providers encounter a lack of awareness among potential private sector clients of the need for training as a business investment. This is compounded by the fact that some of the institutions are reluctant to charge registration fees to participants and tend to rely upon external donor funding for their activities. The USAID Mission is not only a funding source, but can play a vital role in facilitating and promoting collaborative working relationships and/joint ventures through its contracting mechanism. The USAID Mission in Mali needs to be more proactive in promoting in-country training events throughout the country. (Author abstract)