Public employment services: Joined-up services for people facing labour market disadvantage
English
ILO
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
Career guidance and employment services
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.
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.
The note explores the meaning of 'joined-up services' and presents selected country case studies that offer insights from experience to policy-makers, practitioners and others interested in developing services to maximize the level of support available to disadvantaged job seekers. Slow growth in employment and economic activity is having disproportionately frequent and severe effects on people already facing disadvantage. People in vulnerable situations are more likely to have a weaker attachment to the labour market and fewer chances of re-employment. The available evidence on what policy approaches are effective in improving employment outcomes for disadvantaged groups shows the importance of tackling barriers to employment in parallel to those in education, health and housing.
This technical note shows how public employment services (PES) are going beyond traditional ways of working, moving towards joined-up services to help people facing complex barriers to employment in finding work and building skills, with the aim of achieving more sustainable positive outcomes. The note explores the meaning of 'joined-up services' and presents selected country case studies that offer insights from experience to policy-makers, practitioners and others interested in developing services to maximize the level of support available to disadvantaged job seekers.