Scaling Dual VET Reforms: Transforming Systems for Inclusive Growth

BY: Rabindra Bahadur Singh , Shuhrat Amanov, Adrien Rebord - 05. March 2025

In Nepal and Uzbekistan, vocational education and training (VET) reforms, inspired by the Swiss dual VET system, are creating transformative pathways by blending classroom learning with practical workplace experience. These initiatives underscore the potential of dual VET systems to bridge education and labor market needs while fostering inclusive economic growth.

Governments’ understanding of the private sector’s critical role and structured partnerships between the public and private sectors are critical to scaling dual VET reforms, as highlighted by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s (SDC) guidance on fostering public-private collaboration. In Nepal, under the Enhanced Skills for Sustainable and Rewarding Employment project financed by the Swiss government and implemented by Helvetas, only a small number of industries initially participated in the apprenticeship program, despite significant efforts to encourage their involvement. But collaboration with industry associations expanded program reach significantly, showcasing how partnerships anchor systems within the labor market.

Similarly, direct engagement with businesses showed limited success in Uzbekistan, a country in which the liberalization of the economy started only a few years ago, highlighting the need for partnerships with structured employers’ networks to build trust and pilot scalable reforms.

Apprentices at the Bachhauli School in Nepal.

The role of evidence: Validating dual VET

Empirical evidence is a cornerstone of successful VET reforms. As noted in SDC’s Introduction to VET Systems, data-driven approaches enhance credibility and inform policy decisions. In Nepal, randomized control trials revealed measurable benefits for apprentices and industries, demonstrating the economic value of dual VET programs. The number of engaged businesses almost tripled and included major corporations after they realized the benefits.

While cost-benefit analyses for training companies remain the main argument for private sector engagement, complementary research conducted in Uzbekistan, such as the Education-Employment Linkage Index, governance survey or the willingness-to-train survey, are important for understanding power and interests, skills gaps, underlying motivations and existing social networks. The CEMETS – Educations Systems Reforms Lab provides such technical assistance to collect data, inform key leaders and validate program designs to ensure alignment with labor market demands. These evidence-based strategies foster trust and drive adoption across stakeholders.

Governance reforms: Avoiding fragmentation and driving ownership

Governance is the backbone of sustainable VET reforms, ensuring cohesion and avoiding fragmentation. In Uzbekistan, the VET4UZ project, which is financed by the Swiss government and implemented by Helvetas, discovered that input-oriented governance and a lack of vertical coordination between the regional and central levels presented challenges. Addressing this required targeted efforts to harmonize policies and strengthen communication.

In parallel, horizontal coordination between ministries, within ministries, and at the local level required improved dialogue. This need to decentralize the operationalization of the reform was also observed in Nepal, where the reform coincided with the country’s federalization process, inspired by Switzerland’s governance principles. These reforms demonstrate how projects’ facilitative role on governance can serve as a platform for local ownership and long-term sustainability, supported by Swiss technical expertise through institutions like SFUVET. Swiss agencies provide assistance in re-engineering VET systems, and enhance local ownership and policy coherence while supporting long-term sustainability.

Supporting ministries in Uzbekistan to implement dual VET reforms.

Hospitality as the leading sector for reform

In both contexts, the labor-intensive and growing hospitality sector proved to be an ideal starting point for dual VET reforms. With larger companies where there are professional human resource practices, international expertise, and a culture of on-the-job training through internships, the sector offered a model for other industries to emulate. By leveraging the established industry’s networks and building the capacity of hotelier associations to engage in VET systems, these projects showcased the adaptability and scalability of dual VET systems, paving the way for broader adoption across sectors.

Quality assurance: Building trust and credibility

Apprenticeship, dual VET and in-company training are often perceived as lower quality among youth and their families and are viewed as less prestigious than attending an academic education. Addressing these cultural perceptions is crucial to boosting participation and acceptance. Initiatives like skills competitions and media campaigns improved apprenticeships' image, positioning them as viable, respected career pathways.

But strengthening quality assurance mechanisms is also key to addressing in-company status, as it ensures that training programs meet high standards and deliver tangible benefits for learners and employers alike. Credibility in dual VET systems depends on robust quality assurance mechanisms that integrate both public and private sector accountability. Monitoring systems, transparent evaluations, and collaborative efforts ensure that training meets labor market needs and earns stakeholder trust.

In Nepal, the apprenticeship program fosters joint accountability through partnerships between the private-sector-led Sector Skills Committee and the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training, ensuring standards and curricula align with employer demands.

In Uzbekistan, improvement on quality assurance gave credibility to the dual VET system and fostered trust among industries and government bodies. Stakeholders’ mindsets shifted from a government-led quality control to a collaborative framework supported by multi-stakeholders and multi-level cross-learning mechanisms.

Front office on-the-job training in Uzbekistan.

Lessons learned

Policy harmonization: Institutionalizing reforms requires robust policies and legal instruments to ensure sustainability and consistency. Uzbekistan faced challenges of policy duplication and incoherence, necessitating a comprehensive review of the legal framework in parallel with the reform. In Nepal, despite the successful demonstration of apprenticeship programs and positive evidence of their effectiveness, a strong legal framework is still lacking to ensure their long-term sustainability and consistency.
Improving recognition and credibility: Enhancing the perception of apprenticeships is crucial. Initiatives such as skills competitions, media campaigns and industry champions in Uzbekistan and beyond have elevated the status of apprenticeships. Clear pathways, supported by the introduction of National Qualifications Frameworks in both countries, enhance mobility within the VET system, making it an attractive alternative to traditional education.
Structured partnerships foster scalability: Collaborations with industry associations and larger sectoral networks provide sustainable foundations for expanding dual VET systems. If they are not strong enough, support to their structure is crucial to move from a lack of cooperation and trust between employers and VET providers to readiness for implementing dual education.
Governance reforms ensure inclusivity: Strong governance frameworks that align national priorities and stakeholder coordination foster equity and ensure that marginalized groups are not left behind, as seen with Nepal’s federalization process. In return, inclusion schemes for vulnerable groups further boosted the system's recognition.
Private sector engagement is critical but challenging: While industries are essential partners, many lack the capacity or structures to immediately adopt dual VET models. Structured support and long-term trust-building are necessary for success.

Scaling success in dual VET reforms

The experiences of Nepal and Uzbekistan showcase how dual VET systems can unlock potential and drive systemic change when grounded in evidence, partnerships and robust governance. By fostering structured collaborations with industry, validating approaches through empirical data, and anchoring reforms in national systems, these projects offer a proven framework for aligning education with labor market needs.

With its long-standing expertise in dual VET, Switzerland has a role to play and both initiatives highlight the scalability of dual VET models, setting a global benchmark. These reforms not only address economic growth but also promote inclusivity, making dual VET a pathway to sustainable development and equitable workforce integration.