DAI’s Global Approach to Employability
Governments and employers worldwide are grappling with how to connect people—particularly young people, women, and marginalised groups—to meaningful employment. DAI’s response to this challenge involves context-specific, practical, and scalable models focused on employer-led training, inclusive access, wraparound support, and structured pathways to jobs. This article reviews some of the approaches we have used to help people bridge the gap between potential and opportunity—equipping them with skills, building their confidence, and connecting them to jobs in high-demand sectors.
The key to our approach is aligning with employer needs, starting with an analysis of the labor market to identify skill gaps. Our labor and market assessments—analyzing labor supply and demand dynamics, wage structures, education and training systems, and employment trends—yield insights that inform workforce development strategies and guide investment in education and vocational training. Utilizing best-in-class and proprietary tools and methodologies, these assessments identify skills gaps, workforce constraints, and opportunities for development that provide the foundation on which to align investments with real-world conditions and community needs.
Armed with this analysis, we co-design training with employers and deliver accredited learning modules tailored to fast-growing sectors, complemented by career coaching, mental health services where called for, and digital job-matching tools. The primary indicator of a successful program is employment outcomes. Following are examples of programs that illustrate how we have applied and adapted this approach across a broad range of contexts.
El Salvador: Connecting Vulnerable Youth with Opportunities
In El Salvador, the Skills for Employment Project built on the success of its predecessor, BRIDGES , to provide market-relevant training to more than 12,000 young people. The project strengthened workforce systems at all levels by supporting local organisations in delivering training, improving hiring practices, and engaging employers in curriculum design. Emphasizing soft skills, school completion, and job placement services tied directly to local demand, more than 4,000 participants gained employment or improved their job prospects, demonstrating how systemic change can lead to sustained impact even in challenging environments.
Jordan: Institutional Strengthening for Vocational Success
In Jordan, DAI supported a national effort to reform the technical, vocational, and educational training (TVET) system through the European Union’s (EU) Technical Assistance to Support the Quality of Education and TVET program. We established career guidance offices in training institutions, developed national occupational standards, and worked with employers to ensure that training aligns with industry needs. More than 5,100 individuals were successfully placed in jobs through this demand-led system. The initiative not only enhanced employability for thousands but also contributed to the broader goal of improving the quality and relevance of TVET nationwide.
Indonesia: Skills for an Expanded Workforce
The U.S.-funded Mitra Kunce Initiative advanced inclusive workforce development by targeting underserved communities, including youth, women, and people with disabilities. In partnership with local governments, employers, and vocational training providers, DAI trained more than 1,000 service providers that serve vulnerable persons and developed scalable models for soft skills training, career preparation, and inclusive hiring practices. All told, Mitra Kunce facilitated training for 40,000 young people, equipping more than 15,000 of them to access new or improved employment.
Mexico: Industry-Aligned Training for Emerging Sectors
In Mexico, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office-funded Skills for Prosperity program enhanced vocational education by facilitating public-private partnerships to co-design curricula and offer short-term, high-impact training. The program paid special attention to women and Indigenous communities, introducing mentorship schemes, inclusive teaching environments, and targeted support in areas such as mental health and digital literacy. Focusing on high-growth sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and green technology, the program improved the quality and accessibility of skills training. It enabled thousands of students to transition smoothly from education to employment, while ensuring that employers gained access to a broader pool of job-ready talent.
South Africa: Driving Reform at the Systems Level
In South Africa, the EU Education for Employability Sector Reform Program worked with government ministries and national agencies to improve coordination across the education and employment landscape. Instead of concentrating on individual training, the project aimed to enhance systemic governance, policy coherence, and the alignment of workforce development strategies. Strengthening collaboration between departments such as Basic Education, Higher Education and Training, and Employment and Labor established the foundation for more effective employment pathways nationwide.
Guyana: Linking Local Enterprises with Growth Industries
In Guyana, the Centre for Local Business Development—funded by ExxonMobil and implemented by DAI until this year—has supported more than 1,500 local companies in connecting with the country’s rapidly growing oil and gas sector. Through training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, the Center has also supported local workers and businesses to improve their core business skills, from health and safety to budgeting, procurement, and human resources. The Center also assists businesses to compete for procurement opportunities previously dominated by foreign firms, thanks to a supplier relationship management portal that helps small businesses find new opportunities and build their networks. The program provided safety training, technical upskilling, and support for international certification, building local business capacity and creating sustained employment and economic diversification in the country.
DAI’s experience across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia demonstrates that employability improves when training systems are built in close collaboration with employers, accessible to all, and connected to viable economic opportunities. Our approach—combining skills development, inclusive design, employer engagement, and data-informed delivery—has helped tens of thousands of workers enter or re-enter the workforce, building stronger and more responsive employment ecosystems.
