VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 9/78 TO 8/80, AND WAS BASED UPON A STUDY OF THE YMCA STATISTICAL RECORDS AND PROGRESS REPORTS, FIELD TRIPS TO PROJECT SITES, AND INFORMAL SAMPLE TALKS WITH THOSE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT. THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THIS PROGRAM ARE TO TRAIN 3,320 LEBANESE RANGING IN AGE FROM 12 TO 51 YEARS WITH AN EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND RANGING FROM ELEMENTARY TO UNIVERSITY LEVELS. THERE EXISTED A THIRTY PERCENT DROPOUT RATE DUE TO FINDING OTHER JOBS OR FARM WORK OR FAMILY PRESSURES. MANY TRAINEES WERE UNEMPLOYED BEFORE THE PROJECT. THE RATE OF THOSE FINDING EMPLOYMENT AFTER TRAINING WAS UNEXPECTEDLY HIGH -- 84% FOUND WORK, OVER HALF IN LEBANON WITH MONTHLY SALARY LEVELS OF $5000 OR ABOVE. MOST TRAINEES WERE ABLE TO EARN BACK THEIR TOTAL TRAINING COSTS IN ONE MONTH. THE COMMUNITIES SELECTED AS TRAINING SITES BENEFITTED FROM THE REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION UNDERTAKEN AS PART OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM. STRONGER SOCIAL BONDS HAVE BEEN FORMED IN THE PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES -- A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT CIVIL WAR AND THE STRONGLY INDIVIDUALISTIC TENDENCIES OF MOST LEBANESE. PROJECT SHORTCOMINGS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING; THE PROGRAM IS VERY SMALL; IT CONCENTRATES ON ONLY A FEW SKILLS; AND SO FAR, IS OFFERED ONLY TO MALES. EVALUATORS RECOMMEND CONTINUATION OF HE PROGRAM, EXPANSION OF ITS CURRICULA TO INCLUDE TRAINING IN ADDITIONAL SKILLS, SUCH AS MACHINERY MAINTENANCE AND AGRICULTURE, AND THE ADMISSION OF WOMEN TO TRAINING.