Abstract
We are pleased to share this Education Works: Transferable Life Skills1 curriculum codeveloped by Save the Children and Brandeis University as part of USAID’s “Building the Potential of Youth Activity” with a specific focus on Institutional Capacity Development
Support to Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions.
The Transferable Life Skills curriculum for university faculty and instructors, and career development center Trainers reflects best practices in teaching, learning, student employability development and career readiness content, and is drawn from decades of
research and practice with higher education, workforce development professionals and employer partners globally. This curriculum has been piloted with leadership from six Ethiopian universities, Bahir Dar, Hawassa, Jigjiga, Jimma, Mekelle, and Samara. The input and feedback of the participants in the pilot has strengthened the curriculum in many ways and we are appreciative for their feedback and engagement. We have tried to ensure that the curriculum speaks to context of the learners so it can be scaled for greater access across Ethiopia.
This curriculum consists of three Modules, each with multiple sessions that include several hands-on activities to engage students in their learning. Each session has related resources at the end that are referenced throughout the activities. Before you engage with each of the Modules, please review the section titled, Trainers’ Guide, which provides a contextual introduction with the principles, sequence, and logic of the curriculum. This section also includes essential Trainers’ tips, strategies for engaging students and managing a classroom, and an introduction and pretest that will set up a benchmark for where students are in their own life skills journey.