Rural children tend not to pursue a higher education as they face numerous difficulties in Armenia. They have no or little professional orientation, they are not able to finance their studies and do not see employability perspectives after graduating. There is a huge gap between the number of university students among youth in Yerevan (55%) vs. in the regions (6%).

COAF starts to work with  students on career development from avery early age, teaching them lifelong learning skills through after school programs during school․ Starting middle school, all students participate in the Professional Orientation program, that provides future education and career guidance to students by developing decision making skills through a mix of training, self-assessment tests, discussions, counselling, awareness raising events and activities, and study visits to job sites and universities. After graduating from high  school, COAF offers Scholarships, accompanied by a career development package through Internship, Mentorship, Employability skills training. Demanding criteria and thorough selection process help us identify qualified students  for the scholarship to cover their university tuition fee, connect them with a  mentor who will guide them in their career path, an internship in their relevant field of professional, and gain competitive employability skills through training. After receiving scholarships, every student pays it forward to their community through initiating and implementing a community development project.

Thanks to our generous donors and partners, specifically HSBC Bank Armenia, Youredjian Family Charitable Foundation, Armenian Educational Foundation & COAF Arts Scholarships named for  Claire Gregorian, 121 students were able to cover their university tuition, gain additional knowledge and skills to find their place in the local job market since 2014.