VOCATIONAL training and apprenticeship programmes have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, found an International Labour Organisation survey of more than 1,350 providers of the Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) providers.

"Many countries and training providers were insufficiently prepared to respond to the constraints that resulted from the crisis, although some rapidly shifted to distance learning," said the ILO on Monday.

A majority of survey respondents, who included TVET providers, policymakers and social partners in 126 countries, reported disruptions to training, in particular to work-based learning due to enterprise closures, as well as the cancellation of assessment and certification exams.

TVET provides education and training at different skill levels related to a wide range of employment options, including for plumbers, electricians, sales workers, accountants, programmers and bank clerks. The practical, hands-on nature of the training programmes has created particular challenges.

"At the start of the pandemic, few countries and training providers had sufficient equipment, connectivity, remote learning software and platforms, and pedagogical resources. In addition, most students and instructors initially lacked the digital skills to be able to adapt and use their TVET services," it said.

However, since the start of the crisis, innovations have begun to emerge with the switch to remote teaching, says the report, citing cases of development of flexible learning and assessment options, ranging from high- to low- or no- tech solutions.

These include the use of offline platforms, including national television channels, to disseminate practical knowledge in a number of countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and Pakistan and the development of self-paced learning guides and virtual skills assessments.

In some countries, students shot videos and photos of practical tasks carried out at home and uploaded them onto virtual platforms.

"New public-private partnerships have also emerged, including the provision of digital equipment to teachers and disadvantaged learners," they found.

However the report points out that while more than two-thirds of TVET providers reported that they were delivering training entirely by remote methods during the pandemic, very few in low-income countries were able to make that transition.

Access issues relating to online remote learning modalities and infrastructure risks leaving disadvantaged learners behind unless adequate measures are taken to overcome the digital divide, the ILO warned.

Training providers, policy makers and other stakeholders are now realizing the importance of implementing measures to improve the resilience of skills training systems and preparedness, so they can continue delivering training during future crises.