The Autonomous Region Tibet belongs to the poorest and less developed provinces of China . One of the major problems, especially for the youth, is the availability of skilled jobs in the area. Most Tibetans (86%) work in agriculture and livestock due to shortcoming of other job opportunities. In the rural areas advanced agricultural techniques and adequate cultivation methods are absent, know how and skills are not avail-able. Irrigation and water management structures are less operational and as a result erosion is a typical problem.

Non-agricultural professions and jobs have an increasing demand for skilled workers. The local education system, however, cannot cope with this demand. There are only a few vocational training centres, and only 7% of the students who have completed training programmes are sufficiently trained and find a job. There is a high demand for qualified people, especially electricians and mechanics, and skilled handicraft graduates.

The program's objective is to assist the local rural population to increase agricultural output through enhancement of irrigation and to create sustainable jobs in the handicraft and workshop sector.

The program components include:

• Informal vocational training (in rural areas)
• Irrigation and water management and (rural infrastructure)
• Rehabilitation of small hydropower plants (rural infrastructure)

ll qualification activities are based on productive use, which is possible through the rehabilitation of the hydropower plants. It is envisaged that by the end of the program 70% of the qualified students will find a job or create a business and that the average monthly income of the graduates will be 20% higher than the local average.

• The combination of technical rehabilitation, regional and economic promotional efforts and vocational training
• Decentralised opportunities for vocational training in selected rural areas
• Productive utilisation of energy