DIILI, 22 October 2025 (TATOLI) – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has officially launched the Accredited Soft Job Skills Module and a five-day Training of Trainers (ToT) held from 20 to 24 October 2025, at Fundação CICANADA-STVJ Comoro.
Implemented under the Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Skills (YEES) Project, the initiative is cofunded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the Government of Timor-Leste through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) and UNDP Timor-Leste, in close collaboration with SEFOPE (Secretary of State for Vocational Training and Employment) and INDMO (National Institute for Manpower Development).
The programme aims to strengthen the soft skills and teaching capacities of national trainers to better equip young people for the modern labour market. The Training of Trainers session, facilitated by Jacinta Mendonça, Soft Skills Master Trainer, engaged 25 selected trainers (13 Female, 12 Male) from key project stakeholders, including Fundação Cicanada-Sentru Treinamentu Vokasionál Juventude (FC-STVJ) Díli, Sentru Juventude Munisípiu Ermera (SJME), Centru Juventude Munisipiu Baucau (CJMB), Assosiação Centro Juventude Liquiçá (ACJL), Sentru Juventude Munisípiu Aileu (SJMA), Invest People, and UNDP-YEES project staff.
During the opening ceremony, Ms. Adeline Carrier, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, highlighted,“This event marks a remarkable milestone in our collective journey to empower Timor-Leste’s youth through quality, competency-based training. On behalf of UNDP, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Government of Timor-Leste and to KOICA for their collaboration. I wish you all a fruitful training session and encourage you to take this opportunity to learn from your peers and trainers, and to explore the tools and knowledge that can support your professional growth.”
Reflecting this commitment, Mr. Sung Hwan JANG, Deputy Country Director of KOICA, emphasized the importance of developing a competent workforce: “I would like to emphasize that developing a competent workforce is essential to building credibility within the industry and contributing to the development of Timor-Leste. Therefore, I encourage everyone to participate fully in the training, apply your knowledge in practice, and dedicate yourselves with patience to creating a brighter future for Timor-Leste.”
Mr. Amandio Livio Borges Belo, representing INDMO under the supervision of the Secretariat of State for Vocational Training and Employment, highlighted the significance of workforce development: “As we prepare for greater workforce mobility within ASEAN through SEFOPE and INDMO, it is essential to develop a skilled and certified workforce, and to ensure that this system is effectively implemented in every training center. I therefore encourage you to fully engage in the soft skills module and apply what you learn to empower the youth in your centers.”
Throughout the five-day Training of Trainers (ToT), the participants will engage with nine modules covering 20 topics, including: Personal Development; Emotional Intelligence (Emotional Quotient); Professionalism; Adaptability & Agility; Ethics; Gender, Equality, Equity, Disability, Diversity, and Social Inclusion (GEEDDSI); Effective Communication and Networking; Giving and Receiving Feedback; SelfLeadership; Time Management; Creativity; Critical Thinking; Customer Service; Dealing with Difficult People; Empathy; Problem Identification and Problem-Solving; Conflict Management and Conflict Resolution; Decision Making; Teamwork and Collaboration—developed through a collaborative process aligned with international standards and adapted to the Timorese context to strengthen facilitation skills and promote youth personal growth through interactive learning.
By the end of the ToT, participants are expected to become part of a pool of certified national trainers and to acquire practical facilitation skills and an in-depth understanding of the accredited modules, enabling them to effectively deliver soft skills training to youth, including recent university graduates, aspirant migrants, returnee migrants, graduates, and youth in general.
Through the YEES project, UNDP is committed to expanding economic opportunities in Timor-Leste by strengthening youth skills development, improving access to decent employment, and fostering partnerships with the Government and development stakeholders to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
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