The study explores the alignment between occupational competency assessment practices and strategies in Ethiopia, using a mixed-methods approach. It involved stakeholders at various levels, including deans, trainers, assessors, supervisors, directorates, and hotel and industry supervisors. Data was generated through questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, observation, and document analysis. Findings showed that aspects such as assessor methodology and tool validation align well with established strategies. However, challenges were identified, such as a lack of autonomy for CoC agencies, insufficient feedback for TVET institutions regarding assessment scores, a mismatch between occupational standards development and national market demand, fairness issues from using single assessors, and a scarcity of internal and external verifiers. The study proposes recommendations for the Ethiopian Ministry of Labor and Skill and regional CoC Agencies, including ensuring agency autonomy in competency assessments, tailoring assessment tools to occupational standards, fostering industry involvement, maintaining relevance, and addressing concerns about single assessors. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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