Nicaragua is the second poorest country in Latin America with approximately 70 percent of the population living in poverty. A recent study showed that employment opportunities in rural Nicaragua are limited, with five aspiring candidates for every person in a job. Yet, in spite of the competition, companies are still struggling to find suitable candidates, “due to a lack of training or experience”.
There is an urgent need to build a skilled workforce which can act as an engine of growth and progress in Nicaragua. The key is to provide young Nicaraguans from poor rural backgrounds with high-quality education that is grounded in practical work experience, enabling them to be successful in the job market. The solution was to set up a school based on micro-enterprises, which provide a learning platform through which young people can receive relevant training.
La Bastilla school runs seven successful micro-enterprises, the profits from which are all plowed back into the school. They also provide an interactive environment in which students can learn technical skills and gain business experience. This innovation bridges the gap between education and the workplace, ensuring that young people have transferable skills for life and become “work ready” before leaving school.
