Awassa Vocational Training Center

The Awassa Children’s Vocational Training Center offers a state of the art vocational training facility.  Providing training in computer skills, wood, metal, and electronic technologies, ACP aims to improve the lives of under-privileged youth from the Awassa community.  The skills gained here open the door to independent futures for otherwise unsupported young people.  A large number of ACP’s beneficiaries are young women, many of whom which have been orphaned by AIDS.  Upon completion of their 10-month program, graduates move into local employment or apply for loans to start their own business.
 
See our 2011 Graduates!
 
2012 is an exciting year, as the Awassa Vocassional Training Center expands its facilities and number of participants!  The computer skills training will double it’s admittance from 30 to 60 young women.  Responding to the need of the local community, ACP continues its aim of fighting poverty through essential skills training.
 

The following is a description all trainings that have been offered over the past four years of Workshop operation:
 
I. Woodwork Technology
 
The objective of woodwork technology training is to provide skills and knowledge of how to perform different activities (measuring, laying out, sawing, filing, chiseling, drilling, joining, sanding, painting etc…) on benches and different machineries properly, according to the given specifications.  The goal is for students to become capable of manufacturing different furniture and wood-made equipments that have great value to society and are highly needed in the market.
 
II. Metalwork Technology
 
The objective of metalwork technology training is to provide skills and knowledge of bench work (planning a work, measuring, hand sawing, filing, chiseling, drilling, grinding, hand threading, metal fastening, installing pipes, finishing etc…) and arc welding using different hand tools, equipments and machineries.  With the help of modern methods and procedures, students are capable of manufacturing different materials that are of great value to society and are highly needed in the market.
 
III. Electrical Technology
 
The objective of electrical technology training is to provide knowledge on the basics of electrical systems, and the skills to perform electrical system installation and winding.  Students learn to install different types of electric lines and to manufacture different simple machineries (like welding machine) by winding.
 
IV. Computer Skill Training
 
The objective of this computer training is to provide basic skills and knowledge of computers. This course is designed especially for women so that they can lead an independent life by opening their own business centers (centers where they provide secretarial services, like typing, printing and photocopying) or use these computer skills in their academic profession when they continue on to further their education.  Computer trainees are trained in the following:
 
-       Introduction to computer and Windows

-       Microsoft Word

-       Microsoft Excel

-       Microsoft Access

-       Microsoft Power Point

-       Microsoft Publisher
 
In addition to these trainings, HCC also offers life skills trainings including family planning, self empowerment and self confidence, as well as the development of a business mindset.
 
Trainees
 
The training center has graduated 278 trainees in total over the last three years, out of which 174 are women.
 
In detail we have:
 
-       20 trainees in woodworking training, out of which 10 are women

-       31 trainees in metalwork training, out of which 15 are women

-       133 trainees in electrical training, out of which 67 are women

-       72 trainees in computer skills training, out of which 70 are women

22 trainees in solar technology, out of which 12 are women