Employers

The role of employer and business membership organizations in promoting the labour market integration of refugees

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Document

Content Type:

Publication

Language:

The International Labour Organization is the tripartite U.N. agency that promotes Decent Work through employment, social security, labour standards and social dialogue. Its work on skills development is guided by the conceptual framework on Skills to improve productivity, employment growth, and development agreed in 2008 by representatives of Governments, Employers’ Associations and Workers’ Associations. Research, policy advice, and pilot projects and technical cooperation programmes to apply good practices in different circumstances across its 185 member States aims to boost the employability of workers, the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, and the inclusiveness of economic growth. The ILO Secretariat in offices in 40 countries works with Ministries of Labour, employers’ organizations, and trade unions to integrate skills development into national and sector development strategies in order to better meet current labour market needs and to prepare for the jobs of the future; to expand access to employment-related training so that youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are better able to acquire skills and secure productive and decent work; and to improve the ability of public employment services to provide career guidance, maintain labour exchange services, and deliver active labour market programmes.For more information regarding the ILO’s work on skills and employability go to: http://www.ilo.org/skills/lang--en/index.htm; for ILO/Cinterfor's Knowledge Management Plarform, see: http://www.oitcinterfor.org

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skpILO

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ilo

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Policy and strategy

Recommendations and advice on resolving policy challenges related to skills development systems and their linkages to the world of work. Concise syntheses of experience from the international organizations.

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skpPolOp

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policy-and-strategy

Publication Date:

22 Dec 2022

Open

wcms_863915.pdf

This brief highlights the role that Employers\' and Business Member Organizations (EBMOs) can play in promoting the labour market integration of refugees. It showcases good practices of EBMOs from around the world, and how these organizations have worked with their members, government, workers’ organizations and other stakeholders to facilitate the labour market integration of refugees.

The content of the brief was developed through a two-fold approach: first, a global stocktaking exercise of relevant EBMOs’ experiences was undertaken, covering Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Türkiye and Uganda. Second, based on the depth of information available and the diversity of displacement crises, four countries were selected – Colombia, Germany, Türkiye and Uganda – to develop country-specific case studies with an overview of the displacement context and the displacement response of EBMOs, and a conclusion that summarizes the good practices of EBMOs from around the world.

These are organized into six themes:
(1) advocating for evidence-based policies;
(2) making the business case for hiring and working with refugees;
(3) matching refugee labour with employers’ needs;
(4) providing employers with legal and human resource support;
(5) publicly recognizing employers’ good practices; and
(6) engaging with development cooperation partners.

Subject Tags:

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employers

Identifier

672

Employment policy

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employment-policy

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Regions:

Global

Organisational determinants of training

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Generic document

Language:

English

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english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

Bilateral organizations

The development agencies of many countries make skills development a pillar of their Official Development Assistance – from the perspective of education systems, employment promotion, poverty reduction, and private sector development. Documentation of their experience, evaluations and impact assessments, mission statements, and other knowledge products are made available through the Global KSP.

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skpBiOrg

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bilateral-organizations

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Access to training

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Access for all to good quality education, vocational training and workplace learning is a fundamental principle of social cohesion and economic growth. Some groups of people may require targeted attention if they are to benefit from education, training and employment opportunities.

This is particularly the case for disadvantaged youth, lower skilled workers, people with disabilities, and people in rural communities. The attractiveness of vocational education and training is enhanced when combined with entrepreneurship training and when public policies encourage utilization of higher skills by business.

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skpATSU

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access-to-training

Participation of employers' and workers' organizations

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The world of learning and the world of work are separate but linked. While one involves learning, the other produces goods and services. Neither can thrive without the other. Strong partnerships between government, employers and workers help ensure the relevance of training to the changing needs of enterprises and labour markets.

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skpPSP

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participation-of-employers-and-workers-organizations

Work-based learning and skills utilization

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Increasingly, countries around the world, at all levels of development are putting work-based learning, particularly apprenticeships, high on their policy agenda, recognizing its potential for reducing skills mismatch, meeting skills demand of a fast changing labour market, providing cost-effective training, promoting private sector development and smoothing transitions to the world of work.

Moreover, the issue of how skills are used in the workplace and how businesses engage with the local skills ecosystem are getting greater attention. It is increasingly recognized that workers who better use their skills are more likely to have greater job satisfaction, earn better wages and are more prepared to adapt to changes in the nature of work, while employers benefit from a more productive and innovative workforce, enabling them to maximise business performance and profitability.

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skpWrkLrn

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work-based-learning-and-skills-utilization

Knowledge Products:

Research papers

Working papers, reports, and other publications from international organizations, academic institutions and bilateral agencies. Research findings to stimulate informed debate on skills, employment and productivity issues.

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skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

06 Jun 2022

Open

6210_en.pdf

Organisations centring their operations around human resources, in which skills are instrumental to the attainment of organisational goals, should create a climate to incentivise performance: the returns on any training depend on employee performance.

To elicit such performance, organisations may challenge workers’ skills (through complex job design, delegating decision-making, and employee involvement), stimulate motivation (utilising monetary and non-monetary incentives) and create opportunities for employees to make a contribution.

The importance of the role of human resources in training provision may not be immediately clear because organisational measures to support employee performance are proximally related to training provision. Variables linked to the importance of human resources are positively associated with the incidence of training and on-the-job training. Part of this association is channelled through job design and the use of incentives. Managerial beliefs about the importance of human resources influence group membership which is associated with the amount of training provision.

Subject Tags:

Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Skills and training policy

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skills-and-training-policy

Identifier

666

Skills utilization

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skills-utilization

Identifier

685

Work-based learning

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work-based-learning

Identifier

679

Regions:

Europe and Central Asia

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Non-state actors in education: who choses? who loses?

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Publication

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

International organizations

Information is gathered from other international organizations that promote skills development and the transition from education and training to work. The Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IAG-TVET) was established in 2009 to share research findings, coordinate joint research endeavours, and improve collaboration among organizations working at the international and national levels.

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skpIntOrg

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international-organizations

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Financing of training

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Initial education and training and lifelong learning benefit individuals, employers and society as a whole. Economic principles dictate that the costs for services with public and private benefits should be shared between public and private funding, or else too little training will be provided or taken up. Effective mechanisms for financing skills development vary according to countries’ economic and political circumstances and the degree and level of social dialogue established.

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skpFinanT

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financing-training

Governance and coordination mechanisms

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Effective governance and coordination are key elements of successful skill systems. Whilst coordination is an important factor, it needs to operate alongside other key conditions to strengthen governance. When multi-level governance is supported by effective communication, sustainable financing and effective coordination, it has the best chance of supporting the establishment of a lifelong learning ecosystem that enables individuals and enterprises to more effectively navigate the world of work and learning.

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skpGovern

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governance-and-coordination-mechanisms

Participation of employers' and workers' organizations

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skpPSP

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participation-of-employers-and-workers-organizations

Knowledge Products:

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

16 Dec 2021

Open

Non-state actors in education: who choses? who loses?

Alongside its review of progress towards SDG 4, including emerging evidence on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact, the 2021/2 Global Education Monitoring Report urges governments to see all institutions, students and teachers as part of a single system. The report invites policymakers to question relationships with non-state actors in terms of fundamental choices: between equity and freedom of choice; between encouraging initiative and setting standards; between groups of varying means and needs; between immediate commitments under SDG 4 and those to be progressively realized; and between education and other social sectors.

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Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Financing training

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financing-training

Identifier

673

Public private partnerships

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public-private-partnerships

Identifier

138

Workers participation

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workers-participation

Identifier

Regions:

Global

Non-state actors in education: who choses? who loses?

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Publication

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

International organizations

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Identifier

skpIntOrg

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international-organizations

Topics:

Apprenticeships

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Quality apprenticeships based on robust social dialogue and public-private partnerships can improve employment prospects for young people while developing high level skills identified by employers as necessary for growth and increased productivity. Both informal and regulated apprenticeship systems are important learning resources enabling young people to overcome the work-inexperience trap, gain new and enhanced skills and recognized qualifications.

Upgrading informal apprenticeships and expanding regulated ones is a cost-effective way to invest in a country’s skills base, promote economic growth and enhance the employability of youth.

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skpAppren

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apprenticeships

Financing of training

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Identifier

skpFinanT

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financing-training

Governance and coordination mechanisms

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Identifier

skpGovern

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governance-and-coordination-mechanisms

Participation of employers' and workers' organizations

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Identifier

skpPSP

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participation-of-employers-and-workers-organizations

Knowledge Products:

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

16 Dec 2021

Open

Non-state actors in education: who choses? who loses?

Subject Tags:

Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Financing training

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financing-training

Identifier

673

Public private partnerships

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public-private-partnerships

Identifier

138

Workers participation

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workers-participation

Identifier

Regions:

Global

Blog: Building links between enterprises and training organisations

Type:

Blog

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

International organizations

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skpIntOrg

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international-organizations

Authors:

							Tezera, Dejene. Division Chief, Department of Agribusiness Development,United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
						

Topics:

Participation of employers' and workers' organizations

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skpPSP

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participation-of-employers-and-workers-organizations

Training quality and relevance

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skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Publication Date:

18 Oct 2021

Lack of adequate skills is often one of the most challenging obstacles in the labour markets of developing countries. Particular challenges arise when developing countries seek to shift from agriculture to manufacturing without a solid skills base. The type of skills required changes with structural transformation. When a low-income economy undergoes the process of structural change, moving from a primarily agrarian-based economy to one dominated by industry, a new set of skills is defined. Manufacturing requires skills that were not needed in agriculture.

Ethiopia is an example of this. The country has experienced a decade of high and sustained economic growth at around ten percent and is putting a specific focus on transforming the structure of its economy from being a primarily agrarian-based economy to becoming one dominated by industry. The changes have led to increased demand for skilled labor. The government of Ethiopia therefore increased the number of TVET institutions from 505 to 919 between 2011 and 2015. In 2015, more than 350,000 students were enrolled in TVET courses and the number of students is increasing every year. This rapid expansion of the system has increased the supply of skilled labor. At the same time, the economic changes have meant that new skills are demanded. To keep up colleges are hiring new teachers every year; many of whom are hired directly as graduates from TVET colleges or universities and therefore without longer practical experiences gained in a company.

What Ethiopia is experiencing often happens as low-income economies develop. A gap has developed between the training provided by the public institutions (supply) and the skills that are needed (demand). Due to a lack of proper participation of the business sector in creating standards for vocational training, the standards often do not match with the tasks and required skills expected for the companies’ workplace. As a result, TVET Colleges develop curricula and train TVET students not in full accordance with the required job demands and reality on the ground.

The government together with the business sector needs to focus on diminishing the gap between supply and demand of skilled labor. Policy-makers seeking to design skills policies face challenges that are specific to the country context. For them to fully understand the nature of the context and the skills needed, policy-makers need to engage with companies. Guiding principles based on good practices shed light on the factors that play a role in successful skills development policies. But the supply-demand mismatch for skills is also associated with the inability of the business sector to communicate the skills that are needed and, most importantly, the unwillingness to become directly involved in the creation of skills through training schemes. Firms complain about the lack of a qualified workforce, particularly as they move up the technology ladder.

To read the rest of this article, please click on the PDF below.

Blog: Building links between enterprises and training organisations

Subject Tags:

Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Public sector

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public-sector

Identifier

230

TVET systems

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tvet-systems

Identifier

661

Regions:

Global

Countries and territories:

Economic groups:

Policy brief: The role of employers in skills development systems

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Policy brief: The role of employers in skills development systems

Language:

English

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english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

Topics:

Career guidance and employment services

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Career guidance and counselling, career education and lifelong development of skills for employability are key for success in learning activities, effective career transitions, livelihood planning, entrepreneurship and in increasing labour market participation. They are instrumental in promoting skills utilization, recognition (RPL), as well as in improving enterprise human resource management.

Career development activities encompass a wide variety of support activities including career information and advice, counselling, work exposure (e.g. job shadowing, work experience periods), assessment, coaching, mentoring, professional networking, advocacy, basic and employability skills training (curricular and non-curricular) and entrepreneurship training. It is often an area which is fragmented across different ministries (e.g. education, TVET, employment, youth) requiring an effort to achieve the necessary coordination to provide adequate support to individuals during learning, employment and unemployment/inactivity periods.

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skpLMIES

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career-guidance-and-employment-services

Participation of employers' and workers' organizations

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Identifier

skpPSP

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participation-of-employers-and-workers-organizations

Training quality and relevance

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Identifier

skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

Policy and strategy

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Identifier

skpPolOp

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policy-and-strategy

Publication Date:

31 Aug 2020

Open

edmsp1_267024.pdf

This policy brief discusses how employers and Employer and Business Membership Organizations (EMBOs) can strengthen their involvement in skills systems, and highlights some of the benefits in doing so. It analyses interventions at the national, sectoral and enterprise levels and presents a range of strategy, policy and operational interventions. Drawing on recent research and employer experiences, the policy brief also proposes priority areas for engagement in skills systems.

Subject Tags:

Apprenticeships

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apprenticeships

Identifier

639

Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Financing training

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financing-training

Identifier

673

Sectoral approaches

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sectoral-approaches

Identifier

676

Work-based learning

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work-based-learning

Identifier

679

Regions:

Global

A review of skills levy systems in countries of the Southern African Development Community

Type:

Document

Content Type:

															A review of skills levy systems in countries of the Southern African Development Community
													

Language:

English

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english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

Topics:

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

14 Aug 2020

Open

edmsp1_266224.pdf

This report details the findings of research into national training funds linked to employer levies in eight countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC): Botswana, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The report includes an international literature review of levy systems globally to inform the country research which involved secondary data analysis, an online survey, and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in the eight countries involved. The research drew on the views of representatives from government, the organizations managing the training funds, workers’ organizations and employers’ organizations. The report makes high level recommendations on levy based training funds in general as well as for the eight national training funds reviewed which are documented through country briefs in Part B of this report.

The report was developed through a partnership between the ILO Skills & Employability Branch and the ILO Decent Work Team for Eastern and Southern Africa.

Subject Tags:

Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Skills and training policy

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skills-and-training-policy

Identifier

666

Regions:

Africa

Region Image

Countries and territories:

Botswana

Malawi

Mauritius

Namibia

South Africa

United Republic of Tanzania

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Disability inclusion in company responses to COVID-19: Results of a survey among national business and disability networks and their members

Type:

Document

Content Type:

															 Disability inclusion in company responses to COVID-19: Results of a survey among national business and disability networks and their members
													

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

Employers' organizations

Employers invest in training in order to improve productivity, innovate and adopt new technologies, and compete in changing markets. Case studies and research from individual employers and associations of employers on the Global KSP deal with apprenticeship and workplace skills provision, quality assurance and governance of training institutions, and employers’ roles in anticipating skill needs and in influencing national and sector policies on skills development.

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skpEmp

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employers-organizations

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

Other sources

Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.

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Identifier

skpOSource

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other-sources

Topics:

People with disabilities

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Of an estimated 1 billion people with disabilities in the world today, some 785 million are of working age. While many are successfully employed and fully integrated into society, most face a disproportionate level of poverty and unemployment. This is a massive loss both to them and their countries. A strategy of including people with disabilities in training and employment promotion policies, combined with targeted supports to ensure their participation, can help disabled persons obtain productive mainstream employment.

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skpPeoDis

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people-with-disabilities

Knowledge Products:

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

14 Jul 2020

Open

edmsp1_264224.pdf

In May 2020, the ILO Global Business and Disability Network conducted two surveys – one for National Business and Disability Networks (NBDN) and one for those networks’ company members – to identify good practices and gaps in responding to the COVID-19 crisis in a disability-inclusive way. In total, 159 companies from 22 countries (representing four regions) participated in the company survey, and 19 national networks participated in the NBDN survey. The present report provides a summary of the survey's main findings, in the form of quantitative results and as examples of action taken by companies and NBDNs during the COVID-19 crisis. Given the relatively small sample size, the results are not representative of all NBDNs or companies active in disability inclusion. However, the results are indicative of the challenges networks and companies face in making their responses to COVID-19 disability inclusive, and they point to good practices that, if replicated, can help the post-COVID-19 world of work build back better.

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Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Enterprises

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enterprises

Identifier

175

Inclusion

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inclusion

Identifier

665

People with disabilities

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people-with-disabilities

Identifier

323

Survey

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survey

Identifier

611

Regions:

Global

Employer organizations in the governance of TVET and skills systems

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Employer organizations in the governance of TVET and skills systems

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

Employers' organizations

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Identifier

skpEmp

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employers-organizations

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

Slug

ilo

Topics:

Financing of training

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Identifier

skpFinanT

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financing-training

Training quality and relevance

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Identifier

skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

08 Jul 2020

Open

edmsp1_263628.pdf

This report explores the engagement of employer organisations in the governance of TVET and skill systems. It presents the experiences of 28 national employer and business membership organisations in key aspects of skills development including national policy and strategy setting, financing arrangements (including national training funds), apprenticeships, the management of training organisations and the delivery and assessment of training. The report provides a unique insight into the views and experiences of employers as they attempt to engage with the key governance challenges in today’s TVET and skill systems. The report represents an outcome of the strong partnership between the ILO SKILLS Branch and the ILO Bureau of Employers’ Activities (ACTEMP).

Subject Tags:

Employers

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employers

Identifier

672

Governance

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governance

Identifier

283

Skills and training policy

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skills-and-training-policy

Identifier

666

TVET systems

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tvet-systems

Identifier

661

Regions:

Global

Job creation and demand for skills in Kosovo: What can we learn from job portal data?

Type:

Document

Content Type:

															Job creation and demand for skills in Kosovo: What can we learn from job portal data? 
													

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

International organizations

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Identifier

skpIntOrg

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international-organizations

Topics:

Career guidance and employment services

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Identifier

skpLMIES

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career-guidance-and-employment-services

Training quality and relevance

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Identifier

skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

08 Jun 2020

Open

edmsp1_262024.pdf

What can we learn from job portal data? In Kosovo, employers report significant skill shortages, which limits firm growth and job creation. To understand the labor market dynamics and employer needs in real time, this paper analyzes the content of job postings using data from major online job portals from 2018.

The findings show that the skills that are most in demand are socioemotional skills (especially related to extraversion), foreign language skills, and computer skills. The importance of these skills is transversal, cutting not only across occupations and industries, but also universally demanded in all education fields. The need for these skills is expressed more often and more explicitly in postings for jobs requiring higher levels of experience. Moreover, job platforms are used almost exclusively for filling high-skill occupations, especially in Kosovo’s capital city, Pristina, whereas many low- and medium-skill jobs and jobs outside the capital are filled through informal channels. Overall, online data can be a useful tool for policy makers and other stakeholders to help align career services, training programs, and educational curricula with the skill needs of firms in real time.

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