What we do
We partner with industry, development banks, government agencies, NGOs and private sector businesses to create sustainable approaches to workforce development.
Providing consultancy, research and training solutions globally, we have over 50 years’ experience in developing effective skills models and technical vocational education and training (TVET) strategies that foster positive change.
Building on our heritage as a sector skills council, we are proud to have worked in more than 50 countries to deliver collaborative and responsive solutions that challenge social and gender exclusion, address the barriers to work and support continuous professional development.
Economic & social inclusion
Research, frameworks, toolkits and training to drive sustainable change to gender equality and social inclusion at an organisational, sectoral or regional level. Learn moreTVET policy & strategy
Policy development and strategic planning of skills to build thriving technical vocational training and education systems that align to industry needs and promote economic growth. Learn moreCapability & capacity building
Skills models, standards and curriculum development to build the capability and capacity of local experts and drive sustainable approaches to skills development. Learn moreSkills solutions
Globally recognised training programmes and skills solutions to maximise the potential of the workforce and foster professional development. Learn moreOur client partners
Our client partners are at the core of everything we do – from developing innovative skills solutions to addressing pressing business challenges. Our clients include:Marko Stermšek | Associate, Inclusion Specialist Department of Economics, Policy and Governance, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development“ARTC sums up a huge achievement and an important milestone in EBRD’s work on youth and disability inclusion in Egypt. Through Majid Al Futtaim’s vision we were able to build the ambitious and truly exciting Recruitment and Training Centre that EBRD is incredibly proud of. We warmly congratulate People 1st International, Education for Employment Egypt and the HELM Foundation on reaching this important milestone and look forward to following the ARTC story closely in the months and years ahead.”
Fernando Yitzack Pavon, Senior Specialist, Skills Development – Labor Markets Division, Inter-American Development Bank“From my experience working closely with People 1st International, I can confidently say that they are a trusted partner for organisations seeking to cultivate a skilled, productive and inclusive workforce. Their commitment to driving positive change through sustainable workforce development practices is evident in their work, making them a leading authority in the field.”
Daniel Strube, Client Manager GIZ, sequa“Sequa is very grateful for the close and professional cooperation we experienced with People 1st International. They provide a broad range of valuable competences and abilities, with a solid and longstanding experience in the field of vocational education and training. Offering a profound understanding of the needs of the private sector, they offer clear and insightful perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for our sector skills organisations in contributing to a skilled workforce. We look forward to working together in the future.”
British Council, Azerbaijan“The British Council is supporting Azerbaijan ministry reforms in TVET and working in particular in employer
engagement and curriculum planning. One of the pilot areas is in the tourism sector; if Azerbaijan is to see its tourism
market thrive, then public bodies need to listen to the employers, and the industry needs young people with the skills and education that match their needs. People 1st provided us with the expertise to train our trainers that allowed us to set up traineeships and
apprenticeships, allowing us to share UK experience in TVET and tourism in particular with the sector in Azerbaijan.”
As part of the Skilled Young Palestine project led by Enabel to improve resilience and job opportunities for young people in Palestine, we were commissioned to design a skills development fund and provide coaching in its operationalisation.
Working in partnership with partner EFE Palestine, the coaching covered five areas: successful public private partnerships, quality assurance, recruitment & selection of trainees, gender equality and social inclusion and using labour market intelligence.
Gayane Serobyan, GIZ Programme Expert – TVET and Employment Promotion“The information, guidance and expertise provided by People 1st International enabled the Armenian stakeholders to formulate overall role, vision, mission, as well as core remit, coverage, focus of the sector skills development foundations. This provides a solid basis for addressing the VET policy of the country whilst also developing quick business orientated skills solutions.”
Robert Marek, General Manager, Hyatt Regency Cairo West“As an organisation, we have had the pleasure of partnering with People 1st International on a project aimed at supporting the development of skilled and inclusive workforces. Their commitment towards supporting businesses and empowering individuals is commendable.”