From 2015 to 2020, USAID's Moldova Competitiveness Project supports Moldova’s efforts to promote a strong, diverse and export-oriented economy by improving competitiveness and efficiency in key industries. MCP focuses on three areas:
1) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) clustered with creative services and precision engineering
Children as young as 10 years old are starting to learn coding, programming, and engineering.
2) Tourism sector: wine production and export
Watch the Moldovan Tourism Agency's recently released tourism promotion video above. The video showcases Moldovan homemade wine.
3) Light industry (clustered textiles and apparel with footwear sectors).
Moldovan designers show off their creations in the video above.
The project supports these industries to reach a level of maturity that promotes sustainable improvements in the competitiveness of these sectors and provides well-paying and desirable employment—which increases incomes, alleviates poverty and reduces the pressure to emigrate. MCP interventions contribute to increased productivity, improved product quality, expanded market linkages, and an improved sector-enabling environment for targeted industries. The project focuses on improving the quality of Moldovan products and services so that Moldova’s private sector can compete within the EU and other higher-value markets. Expanded market linkages created through MCP engagement have led to increased exports and domestic sales in targeted industries. Increased technical skills in the labor force will contribute to targeted industries’ efforts to expand and develop new investments.
So what role does SOT have? Members of the communities with which we partner are trained to have the necessary skills to succeed in these up and coming industries. Select members of the communities we partner with are trained in coding, wine production, or textile production; we also educate them on financial literacy and offer entrepreneurship workshops. All SOT vocational program participants are financially compensated for their work and earn a certificate to assist with employment applications.
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