Catalyste+ Advisor Arthur Shears recently completed a pivotal assignment supporting the Dominica Technical Vocational Education and Training Council (DTVETC) in crafting a comprehensive 5-year strategic plan (2025/26–2030/31), as part of our CCEDM program. The plan outlines a transformative vision for inclusive, competency-based training, institutional strengthening—particularly at the Goodwill Secondary School TVET Centre of Excellence—and enhanced access to funding. Through strategic pillars focused on access, quality, governance, and labor market alignment, the plan sets the foundation for a resilient, future-ready workforce and positions Dominica to leverage regional opportunities like the Caribbean Future Skills Fund.
The above story was recently carried in the Catalyste+ Connects newsletter. My support was provided in-person to the DTVETC on the island for two weeks this past summer, with additional support provided virtually via Zoom before and afterwards. I had the privilege of working closely with a fantastic technical working group of national experts.
For Canadians, especially older professionals like me, Catalyste+ may be an opportunity to share our skills in Northern Canada and/or in developing countries.
Check their website for further information. You can also explore my BLOG posts for opportunities at Catalyste+ and elsewhere.
And don’t forget my memoir – Overseas Adventures… – is available from my website as well. Dominica doesn’t feature in it, but it will if I eventually write a Further Adventures.
This year I applied to Catalyste+ and became an Advisor. I reviewed the various opportunities that matched my skill set and was chosen for two assignments in Dominica in the Caribbean. One was in-country for two weeks and the other virtual which lasted on and off over three months. They were both enjoyable and productive. In fact, during my assignments the Dominica TVET Council was able to draft their Five Year Strategic Plan 2026-2031.
Catalyste+ is having an information session in late October. This is your chance to learn about their work and how you might fit in.
To register for the English language session, use this link:
The following opportunity was shared with me by Dr. Julia Dicum, Director of Education at UNRWA.
UNRWA has a TVET programme that serves about 8,000 Palestine Refugee Youth and a similarly structured even smaller education sciences faculty programme (pre-service teacher training only) that serves about 2,000 Palestine refugee youth (mostly females). We are looking for a 6-month TVET/skills-based higher education consultant to advise us on sustainability models for the future management/governance of TVET and educational sciences (pre-service education training).
The JO TVET Consultant / P4 #262571 is online now. For easy reference, please follow the link below:
Note that UNRWA has programs in Gaza, the Occupied West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.
This assignment is a transformational opportunity for the right person. Unfortunately, I am not available. I did work with UNRWA in TVET in the 2005-2007 period. My experience is described in a chapter of my book Overseas Adventures….
The Trump administration continues to make a series of bad decisions on everything from trade, to the environment, to international development.
It seems not that long ago that I was congratulating the US on this platform for re-joining UNESCO; now it’s going to withdraw again. Really?
UNESCO has a place in my heart not only because of its positive and sweeping scope in science, education and culture but because in my last long-term assignment, I was Team Leader on the EU funded Skills and Technical Education Program (STEP) in Malawi. This program was managed by UNESCO from 2017-2021.
My experience on this assignment was thoroughly enjoyable and described in the next to last chapter of my book, “Overseas Adventures -From Afghanistan to Zambia and Points In-Between”. The book is available from AMAZON or from this website.
As explained by the UNESCO Director-General in the below statement, the agency’s future outlook is not as badly affected as some other UN agencies.
Both the Director-General and I hope that the USA will again join the agency at some future date.
Hello all. I just received a copy of the below job description and wanted to get it online today – World Youth Skills Day. Apologies in advance for the clunky formatting. The original JD was properly formatted but the formatting didn’t carry over to here. Anyway, do apply if you are qualified and interested. Deadline: 31 July 2025. See details at the bottom of this post.
WorldSkills Occupational Standards Specialist
About WorldSkills WorldSkills International (WSI) is a movement that impacts the lives of young people through initial vocational development. The 89 Member countries and regions that are part of WSI reach two-thirds of the world’s population and create measurable impact at every level through skills development and promotion. We inspire young people to develop a passion for skills and pursue excellence through competitions, projects, and programmes. Every two years we host the world’s largest technical and vocational skills event, the WorldSkills Competition, in which over 1,500 outstanding young practitioners vie to be “the best in the world” in one of around 60 global occupations. To underpin this endeavour, the WorldSkills Occupational Standards (WSOS) are descriptions of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours that capture occupational mastery and excellence. Over the last decade, WSI has become more engaged with global trends, pressures, and opportunities affecting both TVET and work. As a “tool with a vision”, the idea and practical manifestation of the WSOS now actively contributes to the global search for common reference points and benchmarks for best practice in TVET and work. The WSOS and what they symbolise, entrain and enable, are now an embedded part of the WorldSkills brand. The position WorldSkills is looking for a WorldSkills Occupational Standards Specialist to join our global, diverse, and virtual team. The postholder will be a member of the WorldSkills Secretariat and collaborate with colleagues within the WSOS development team and more widely, wherever their responsibilities combine or interact. They will report to the Chief Executive Officer with close contact and accountability to the WSOS development team leadership.
Responsibilities and duties WSOS research, policy, and strategy
To systematically scan the international skills environment to identify potential opportunities and challenges
To design strategic opportunities for initiatives and carry them through WSI’s and other organisations’ processes
To monitor information relevant to global standards, sharing and providing digests as appropriate
To respond to enquiries, conversations, and joint work with global partners and equivalent bodies
To contribute as requested to WSI’s larger strategic development
To make reasonable and helpful interventions as part of one’s contingency management
To consult with business and industry and make use of other consultation processes.
Development of WSOS and growth
To support the (Skill) Competitions Portfolio Working Group/process by drafting, editing, and/or quality assuring WSOS to help substantiate the case for new skill competitions that meet agreed principles
To contribute to colleagues’ projects where they are relevant to the WSOS.
WSOS management
To support the systematisation, development, and expansion of the biennial updating cycle, in line with the WSOS’ growing range of purposes globally and within the WorldSkills movement. This includes
positioning the WSOS as representing an international core of technical and vocational mastery in occupations open to young adults among others
ensuring the continuing validity and relevance of the WSOS as benchmarks for skill competitions through analyses of the WSOS, contributing to the biennial review of the skill competitions portfolio.
To support the management and reputation of the “WSOS Brand” as benchmarks for skill competitions.
To advance the WSOS brand and its growing wider application to the global skills agenda.
WSOS alignment
To support those responsible for reviewing and aligning regional competitions’ use of the WSOS, to
enable them to be updated in line with the biennial review
avoid reputational harm
identify, quality assure, and align additional standards using the WSOS “brand”
To support the development of coherent and effective regional standards and associated policies
To support the coherent application of WSOS to TVET assessment and practice. WSOS-TVET
To support those responsible for working with Members’ WSOS-TVET reforms with advice, boundary management, professional development, and guidance.
Skills, knowledge, and experience Attributes The person appointed will have these essential attributes:
A comparative understanding of technical and vocational education and training, systemically and pedagogically
A strategic understanding of economies and labour markets across the world
A comparative understanding of assessment and assessment systems
Practical experience in the modern design of knowledge, skills, and behaviours in TVET systems
A conceptual and practical understanding of quality assurance and control
A commitment to informed and intelligence-led decision-making
Proven ability to work across and between research and practitioner communities
Advanced communication and presentation skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English (additional languages are an advantage), including an ability to summarize complex information and present it in a simplified, accurate format
The ability to work with complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty
A concern for order and precision where it matters
Self-knowledge and metacognition (a reflective and creative practitioner)
A willingness and capacity to “get the job done”, however routine or tedious
An enjoyment of challenge
A team player with the ability to be individually accountable
Contingency management skills, with a willingness to take reasonable risks and learn from mistakes
Discretion, dependability, integrity, and pragmatism.
Profile The successful candidate is likely to have the following profile:
A qualification or equivalent at ISCED level 6 or higher
At least 15 years’ experience of working in TVET, business/industry, or ideally both
A record of seeking continuing professional development, formally or informally
A record of working autonomously and/or remotely
A record of successful innovation
Proven interest in innovation and “otherness” (people, places, ideas, phenomena)
A record of designing and writing material and documents, in English, to publication standard. A knowledge of WorldSkills International is less important than an informed outlook on the global skills agenda.
To apply Please send your CV and a statement sharing why you are interested in this role and evidencing your suitability for this role, to Cara McCormack cara.mccormack@worldskills.org. Please include in the subject line of the email: Application – WorldSkills Occupational Standards Specialist. All applications are strictly confidential between the applicant and WorldSkills International management. Deadline: 31 July 2025.
See the post below from my former UNESCO colleague, Dr. Borhene Chakroun.
Skills Can’t Wait!
More than 70 million youth are unemployed, and millions more are underemployed or stuck in informal, unstable work. At the same time, the world of work is changing rapidly — driven by green and technological transformation, demographic shifts, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
In this evolving landscape, the need for skills development and lifelong learning opportunities for all has never been more critical. Young people must be equipped not only with job-specific and digital capabilities, but also with the green, entrepreneurial, critical and citizenship skills needed to thrive in a future that demands adaptability, creativity, and resilience.
But youth are not just beneficiaries of this transition — they are its agents of change. They are innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders, climate activists, creators, and problem-solvers. Investing in their potential means investing in a more inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future for all.
Join us to celebrate the energy, talent, and determination of young people everywhere — and commit to building education and skills systems that truly empower them to shape the future of work, economy and society. Join on-line our celebration of the World Youth Skills Day on 15th July : https://lnkd.in/eamMhmNk
We are launching our Global Skills Tracker to offer up-to-minute information on demands for skills: https://lnkd.in/exFDcw_w
UNESCO Office in Afghanistan is recruiting a Programme Specialist (Skills Development and Literacy Education). The deadline for the application is 9 June 2025. https://lnkd.in/dBbf_YA7
I had a quick scan of this opportunity, and it looks both interesting and challenging. I believe the requirement that candidates need a PhD maybe raising the bar too high but that is just my opinion.
In 2007, when the situation in Afghanistan was relatively calm, I had an assignment with the International Labour Organization to start development of a National Employment Policy. It was an intense but worthwhile experience, and many of the international consultants and advisors who were there at the same time would probably say the same thing. With Afghan colleagues we made a difference in health, education, infrastructure development and in other areas. (You can read more about my Afghan experience in my book available from this website.)
Times have changed, but this is your chance to help the young women of Afghanistan.
Below are a couple of pictures from my time in Afghanistan. I wonder if the co-op shown in picture 1 is still operating.
The Dominica Technical Vocational Education and Training Council (DTVETC) seeks comprehensive support to develop a 5-year strategic plan to support TVET in the country, including institutional strengthening for the New Goodwill Secondary School (GSS) TVET Center of Excellence. Catalyste+ contacted me for the short assignment as Strategic Planning Advisor.
The TVET Council belongs to an organization named CANTA – Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies. See their member countries below. The map also serves the purpose of showing where Dominica is located. (And no, Dominica is not the Dominican Republic.)
The in-county assignment will be about 2 weeks with a possible follow-up visit some time later. The parallel virtual assignment has already started with a kick-off meeting via ZOOM last week, and the first technical working group meeting coming up this Thursday.
I look forward to sharing my international expertise with the wonderful people of Dominica and advising officials as they develop the strategy.
A summary of this report popped up on my LinkedIn feed this morning. See the summary below.
📘 Impact of USAID Withdrawal on Global Education and Skills Development
This new report by Elena Walls in collaboration with the European Training Foundation provides the first comprehensive analysis of the global consequences following the withdrawal of USAID from international education funding in early 2025.
It details the size, scope and immediate impact of this decision — drawing on public data from ForeignAssistance .gov, national budget records, and official programme documentation.
Key findings:
✂️ 396 education programmes were cancelled across 58 countries, including early childhood education, foundational literacy, vocational training and access to higher education.
💰 More than $1.02 billion in annual funding was withdrawn. In 2023, USAID managed over 75% of all US international education investments.
📍 Top five recipient countries (2022–2024): • Jordan 🇯🇴 – $402.5 million • Egypt 🇪🇬 – $191.2 million • Lebanon 🇱🇧 – $161.6 million • Afghanistan 🇦🇫 – $138.9 million • Malawi 🇲🇼 – $81.7 million
These countries are among the most affected by the loss of USAID support. In 2024, USAID funding accounted for 12.9% of Afghanistan’s entire education budget and 8.1% of Jordan’s.
📚 Breakdown by sector (2023): • 75% of USAID’s education portfolio supported primary education • 17% supported higher education • 8% supported technical and vocational education and training
Between 2011 and 2021, USAID foundational skills programmes reached 246 million students in 53 countries.
🧑🏫 Main programme partners included: • NGOs – 28.9% • Universities and colleges – 21.2% • Multilateral platforms (GPE, ECW) – 15.1% • Government institutions – 11.1%
📉 Examples of cancelled programmes: • Lebanon 🇱🇧 – QITABI 2 & 3 national reading programme – $99.5m • Uganda 🇺🇬 – Integrated Child and Youth Development – $118.9m • Malawi 🇲🇼 – NextGen Early Grade Reading – $74.9m • Kenya 🇰🇪 – Primary Literacy Programme – $79.5m • Afghanistan 🇦🇫 – Access to Quality Basic Education (AQBE) – $49m • Zambia 🇿🇲 – Let’s Read – $49m
USAID was the largest bilateral donor to Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and one of the biggest contributors to the Global Partnership for Education. It also supported collaborative efforts such as BE2, the Coalition for Foundational Learning, and a number of research, innovation and data-sharing initiatives across multiple regions.
📊 The report includes regional breakdowns, funding patterns, and detailed analysis of the systems-level impact — particularly for low- and middle-income countries reliant on long-term bilateral support.
It concludes with recommendations for global coordination, including increased EU leadership through Team Europe Initiatives and the Global Gateway.
A must read for anyone working in global education.
Recently, I have been exchanging emails with Dr. Julia Dicum (Head of Education for UNRWA) about the development situation in its areas of operation. There are many challenges and some bright spots. One of the bright spots is that UNRWA is recruiting a P-3 (mid-level professional) TVET person with funding through KOICA (Korean development agency).
To find out more or to apply, go to the UN Careers website.
Please note that candidates must have a good command of English, and also preferably, Arabic and Korean language skills.
GOOD LUCK.
PS. Even if you are not applying for this post, you might want to check out how this UN website organizes its vacancy announcements, and what sort of requirements are stated.
