21st Century Skills and the Age of Responsibility
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
Participation of employers' and workers' organizations
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.
Training quality and relevance
Other knowledge products
Among the key challenges highlighted by Salazar-Xirinachs is skills mismatch which partly results from the inability of the education and training system to adapt to these new realities.
Addressing the disconnects is not only a matter of public policy but also one that involves private sector engagement and responsibility, according to Salazar-Xirinachs.
He pointed out that companies should not wait at the end of the education and training pipeline for graduates with the right skills or look for new talents abroad, but should take a broader view of their workforce needs. Salazar-Xirinachs stated they should build public-private partnerships, engage pro-actively with education and training providers in order to align education with the skills needed for employment and make efforts to combine formal education and training with on the job apprenticeship opportunities.