Usha Bhandari – building bridges for vocational training in Nepal
After a 14-year stint at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Usha Bhandari has decided to retire this April – officially, at least. Because her passion for education and commitment to young people in Nepal hasn't changed one bit.
After a 14-year stint at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Usha Bhandari has decided to retire this April – officially, at least. Because her passion for education and commitment to young people in Nepal hasn't changed one bit.
Usha was born in the Kathmandu Valley and originally wanted to become a nurse. But it soon became clear that her real passion was teaching. Working as a tutor at the Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, she discovered her calling – empowering people to realise their full potential.
Her path soon led to Nepal's Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) and later to the Training Institute for Technical Instruction (TITI), which the SDC supports via its partner Swisscontact. As a master trainer, she has travelled to over ten countries from Uganda to Bangladesh, using her expertise to shape educational programmes far beyond Nepal's borders.
Usha moved to the SDC in 2011, putting her heart and soul into promoting sustainable vocational education and training. She played a leading role in programmes such as the Employment Fund, Enhanced Skills for Sustainable and Rewarding Employment (ENSSURE) and the National Vocational Qualifications System (NVQS), which create targeted prospects in the job market for young people. Her role in Nepal's federal reorganisation reforms from 2015 was particularly influential. These reforms included the introduction of dual vocational training and the first career guidance programme for young people in Nepal.
For Usha, vocational training is much more than just teaching techniques. “It's about giving people a sustainable future,” she says. And she walks the talk as well, with great sensitivity, expertise and tireless commitment.
Although Usha is about to retire from the SDC after 14 years, it is by no means a farewell. In fact, it's the beginning of a new chapter – namely as a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) consultant for South and Southeast Asia with Swisscontact, a role that will allow her to expand her expertise to other countries while continuing her work in Nepal. “This new role will give me the chance to extend what we've achieved in Nepal to other countries in the region.”
What remains is a profound legacy – and a woman who showed how education can be turned into a driving force for development with passion and foresight.
Vocational training is not just about teaching skills. It's about ensuring that the workforce is equipped for the challenges of tomorrow. And it's key to the development of any country.
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