Given that M&E is still nascent as a technical area in Jordan, USAID Activities are facing significant and growing challenges in recruiting M&E staff with sufficient experience and knowledge. In anticipation of this increasing need, MESP conducted an assessment to determine interest in, need for, and design considerations for creating an apprenticeship program that will create a new cadre of M&E professionals to assist IPs in fulfilling USAID performance monitoring requirements. Based on the assessment, a concept note for design and implementation of an Apprenticeship Program was drafted and submitted to the Mission, which was approved by PRO.

The Apprenticeship Program is a six-month program designed to produce a new cadre of M&E entry-level professionals to assist IPs in fulfilling USAID performance monitoring requirements.
The program is divided into three phases; the first is one month of intensive classroom training at MESP composed of four modules developed and conducted by MESP and Integrated Services M&E specialists. The second covers two months of on-the-job training with an IP, followed by the third phase, in which the Apprentices will enter full-time employment with the IP. During both phase two and three, Apprentices and IPs will continue to receive tailored mentoring and support from MESP.

A total of 13 apprentices were selected, out of which eight are seconded from BEST, LENS, RAMP, LEIP, MESP, ROL, CISILE and JCP, and five are non-seconded where RAMP, CIS, CEP and Integrated Services agreed to host and potentially hire the apprentices. 12 out of 13 Apprentices were hired.