A DFID practice paper This guidance note provides information on how the private sector can become involved in skills development; it identifies the contributions that the private sector could make to increase both the quality and quantity of provision, complementing as well as challenging state provision. The note outlines the benefits of engaging the private sector and how that can complement the role of the public sector. A variety of possible interventions are described drawing on new developments in the field of technical and vocational education (TVET) or ‘skills development’, as well as the outcomes of current or recent reform initiatives or research in developing countries. These outcomes and the resulting recommendations will not always be relevant; decisions on what advice to follow must take into account the stage of development of a country’s economy and the current governance and operational contexts.