ILO, partners review progress of soft skills training programme under Rwanda’s National Internship Initiative

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Soft Skills Training Programme implemented under Rwanda’s National Internship Programme has reached a significant milestone with the completion of a mid-cycle implementation review, bringing together partners to evaluate progress and assess the effectiveness of the revised training curriculum.

The review provided an opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the programme’s 10-module soft skills curriculum, its delivery methodology, and the outcomes achieved during the pilot phase of training delivered to interns. So far, 30 interns from the first cohort under the Ministry of Public Service and Labour’s National Internship Programme have completed more than 23 hours of structured training delivered across five sessions by five certified trainers.

The training sessions focused on practical, competency-based learning in key professional areas including workplace communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and professional self-presentation, equipping interns with essential skills needed to thrive in professional environments.

The mid-cycle review aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the modules, assess the quality of training delivery, and evaluate early learning outcomes among participants. It also created space for feedback from stakeholders drawn from the ICT sector, interns, trainers, and institutional partners, with the objective of refining the programme and strengthening implementation for the remaining cohorts.

Stakeholders represented at the review included the Ministry of Public Service and Labour (MIFOTRA), the International Labour Organization, iDebate Rwanda, Rwanda Polytechnic, the Rwanda Development Board, the Rwanda Workers’ Trade Union Confederation (CESTRAR), the Rwanda ICT Chamber, the Rwanda Chamber of Tourism, Ojemba, Umurava, the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RTB), the Ministry of Youth and Arts, Ikigugu Group Ltd, Kigali Independent University (ULK), Solvit Africa, Hamubere, SITR/COSYLI, the University of Kigali, and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defence, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.

The Soft Skills Training Programme is being implemented by iDebate Rwanda and the International Labour Organization in partnership with the Ministry of Public Service and Labour under the National Internship Programme, with financial support from the Government of Luxembourg.