Economic benefits of technical vocational education and training in the Kingdom of Eswatini: A case of the national handicraft training centre

Abstract

This study estimates the economic benefits of the Government of Eswatini and its development partners’ investment into the National Handicraft Training Centre (NHTC). Using NHTCs student database from 1995 to 2015, the study tracks graduates from the Centre to assess the demand and absorbability of their skills into the economy. Data on employment, self-employment status, and the level of skills upgrading with institutions of higher learning after graduating from the NHTC was collected. Employment earnings, self-employment, and part-time profits was collected to calculate their annual average incomes. The study finds that the NHTC return on investment calculated as the benefit-cost ratio of the graduates’ incomes against the money spent on NHTC is 1: 4.66. This means for every E1 invested on NHTC, the economy generates E4.66 in the income generating activities of NHTC TVET graduates.

Keywords: Economic Benefits; Skills Utilisation; Youth Employment.