Skills are a foundation of decent work. Ultimately, the skills people have and can use effectively can contribute to prosperity based on how many people are in work and how productive they are. Countries, enterprises and individuals all perceive skills development as strategic, and consequently seek to step up investments in skills. The G20 Training Strategy provides a policy framework for developing a suitably skilled workforce for the future, and for obtaining decent work in sustainable enterprises. While there is wide agreement on the broad principles that shape good training policies and systems, there are wide disparities in their application and outcomes. The G20 TS encourages the exchange of experiences, analysis and viewpoints to address some of the more intractable difficulties faced in shaping good-quality training policies and achieving good outcomes.

What other factors contribute to developing effective skills policies and strategies?

Strong partnerships between governments, employers, workers and training institutions can help build an effective and enduring bridge between the world of learning and the world of work that responds effectively to changing skills and training needs. To be effective, skills training policies should be closely coordinated with wider economic and social policies on employment, industry, trade, technology, and macroeconomic and environmental policies– to promote sustainable and dynamic development.

How does skills development promote equity and inclusive growth?

Adopting a more inclusive approach to education, training and workplace learning can help to tackle various inequities and can break cycles of poverty in which people are unable to take advantage of economic opportunities. This can specially benefit underrepresented groups such as people with disabilities, people from disadvantaged communities, and people who have been unemployed for long periods of time.

In which countries is the G20 TS being implemented?

Current development cooperation programmes supporting the implementation of the G20 TS include a project in Mozambique that focuses on anticipation of skills needs, labour market information systems, sector-based approaches and accessibility to good-quality training for vulnerable groups. A project in Nepal focuses on building the capacity of public employment centres to identify job growth potential, assess skills needs and provide better information to young persons, their families, and local training providers. Both projects are supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency. In Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Jordan and Viet Nam implementation of the G20 TS focuses on improving the vocational education system, by improving the structure and orientation of TVET institutions in the labor market. Funding for these projects are provided by the Russian Federation.

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