Vocational Training
Skills, confidence and a pathway to independence
Education should not end when a child leaves school.
For many young people growing up in poverty, finishing school does not automatically lead to employment. Without practical skills, professional qualifications or opportunities to gain experience, young people can easily find themselves back on the streets and without a realistic pathway towards an independent future.
That is why Vocational Training has become an increasingly important part of SONNE Social Organization's work.
Our roots are in working with children through Non-Formal Education. Over recent years, we have expanded our focus to help young people take the next step — from education towards employment and financial independence.
Practical skills for real opportunities
SONNE currently provides several vocational training programmes directly.
Our Computer Training is offered on a regular basis through three-month courses, including Basic and Advanced Computer and Office Skills. Participants receive a certificate upon successful completion, giving them a recognised qualification they can use when applying for jobs.
We also offer Sewing Training, delivered through three-month courses and likewise completed with a certificate.
In addition, we provide or facilitate training in areas such as:
Mechanics
Electrical work
Hairdressing
Computer and Office Skills
Sewing and garment production
Not all courses are offered continuously. We adapt our vocational training to available resources, demand and opportunities for our young people.
Our certificates open doors
Our vocational training is designed to provide more than a certificate.
Over the years, our experience has shown that SONNE certificates have become recognised and respected in the surrounding community for the quality of the training behind them. This gives young people something tangible they can present when applying for employment.
For someone who has grown up with very limited opportunities, having a practical skill and a recognised qualification can make a profound difference.
Working together for young people
We also believe that we do not have to provide every form of training ourselves.
SONNE works together with organisations and initiatives that specialise in vocational education and youth development.
Our partners include organisations such as Shwe Yamin Foundation, which provides specialised training opportunities for girls and young women, and Step In Step Up, which offers a range of programmes and vocational opportunities for young people.
Another important partner is Shwe Sabwe, a respected restaurant in central Yangon that provides an intensive 11-month professional training programme in kitchen and service skills for disadvantaged young people, including orphans, refugees and young people from vulnerable backgrounds. Some of our young people have already completed training there.
From education to independence
Our goal is to create a pathway that does not end when a child reaches the upper age limit of our children's programmes.
Non-Formal Education helps children get back into learning.
Tuition classes help them succeed in school.
Vocational Training helps young people turn their skills into opportunities.
This is an area of our work that we are continuing to develop. We see enormous potential to expand vocational training in the coming years and to build even more bridges between our education programmes, professional training and the world of work.
Because education is not only about getting children into school.
It is about giving young people the skills and opportunities they need to build a future of their own.
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