Apprenticeship in Laos

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Laos is provided through schools, colleges, institutes, training centers, labor units, Community Learning Centres, companies and private providers. Formal TVET is established but fragmented, while informal occupational learning is widespread. Common fields include agriculture, construction, machinery and vehicle repair, electrical work, electronics, furniture and woodwork, garments, hospitality, cooking, beauty, information and communication technology, electric-vehicle maintenance and entrepreneurship. Availability differs by province, and access is more limited in rural areas. Dual-Cooperative Training combines instruction at a TVET institution with practical work at a partner company. A trainee normally enrolls with the institution, then completes a company interview or acceptance process. The institution and company sign a cooperation agreement, and the trainee and company use a contract that sets the duration, training locations, duties, working hours, leave and any allowance or in-kind support. The company share is commonly about half of the training. The institution teaches theory and basic practice, while the company provides applied practice in core work processes. A final practical and oral examination is conducted jointly, and the trainee may receive a TVET certificate together with a company certificate. Enterprise apprenticeships can be shorter and more directly work-based; reported examples last one to three months. Informal apprenticeships usually rely on learning through work and may not follow a standardized curriculum, assessment or certification process. These pathways should not be treated as interchangeable with a formal TVET qualification. Food, transport, tools, consumables, stipends and other support depend on the contract, provider and project. No universal apprenticeship wage entitlement or fixed allowance is evidenced. Formal routes include C1, usually a three- to six-month basic occupational course after primary education or an equivalent level; C2, normally at least one year after the required entry level and at least six months after C1; and C3, normally at least two years after lower secondary education or at least one year after C2. Vocational upper-secondary education generally lasts three years after lower secondary education. Diploma and higher-diploma routes have different entry and duration rules. The qualification ladder runs from Level 1 Certificate through Level 2 Certificate, Level 3 Certificate, TVET Diploma and Higher TVET Diploma. Certificates and affirmations are issued after completing the curriculum and passing the required testing. Credits may accumulate or transfer, but completion does not guarantee employment. Certificate curricula devote at least 80% of TVET time to practical and occupational learning, compared with at least 70% for diploma curricula and at least 60% for higher-diploma curricula. Assessment can include school examinations, occupational-skill testing, modular assessment and final practical or oral examinations. Graduates may enter employment, work in a labor unit or become self-employed, depending on their skills, local opportunities and employer requirements. The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) and its Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (DTVET) set the main education framework. Provincial Education and Sports Services and district offices handle local responsibilities. The Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare supports skills development, certification and testing. The National Training Council and the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry also contribute to coordination and employer cooperation. The legal framework includes the Law on Technical and Vocational Education and Training No. 42/NA of 2013, the Education Law 2025 and the Lao Qualifications Framework Decree 2021. The law provides for equal access without discrimination based on gender, age, ethnicity, location or physical, economic or social status. Formal entry still depends on the level and curriculum, and a provider or company may apply additional admission conditions. Short non-formal courses generally do not have an ordinary education-level limit. The available TVET evidence does not specify a minimum apprenticeship age. Labour law sets the employment age at 14, while child-protection limits apply; the ILO Committee of Experts has called for a minimum apprenticeship age of 14. Learners have access to facilities and materials, fair assessment, certificates or affirmations and opportunities to express their views. They must attend, participate, follow facility rules, care for equipment and cooperate with the provider and company. Companies and labor units contribute to curricula, occupational standards, testing, work experience and technology transfer. Parents or guardians support minors. State funding supports infrastructure, equipment, transport and staff development, while fees follow applicable regulations. Scholarships, stipends and project support target particular groups rather than creating a universal entitlement. The Education and Sports Sector Development Plan for 2026–2030 targets 50,000 cumulative TVET graduates by 2030, or 10,000 per year. A reported baseline or current result is 9,208. An ADB Skills Enhancement project approved in 2025 provides USD 36 million for 11 schools, green and ICT courses, electric-vehicle and industrial-electrical training, girls' dormitories, short courses for youth and adults and stipends for returning students. These measures expand selected opportunities but do not create one nationwide apprenticeship contract or guarantee a job after completion.