Opportunity scouting and mapping analysis of inclusive skills and lifelong learning strategies and policies in Egypt
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
Lifelong learning
There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.
Skills policies and strategies
Skills and employment policies should be viewed together. The full value of one policy set is realized when it supports the objectives of the other. For investments in education and training to yield maximum benefit to workers, enterprises, and economies, countries’ capacities for coordination is critical in three areas: connecting basic education to technical training and then to market entry; ensuring continuous communication between employers and training providers so that training meets the needs and aspirations of workers and enterprises, and integrating skills development policies with industrial, investment, trade, technology, environmental, rural and local development policies.
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 report provides inclusive skills and lifelong learning implementation scenarios to address the skills mismatch and lack of decent work opportunities faced by the country.
Egypt suffers from a lack of decent work opportunities and a high youth unemployment rate. The later results from a widespread skills mismatch and the lack of demand-oriented and inclusive skills strategies and education policies.
Given the changing World of Work, the ILO aims to support Egypt in developing lifelong learning (LLL) strategies which cater to the industry demands and are inclusive, timely and contribute to needs-oriented workforce development.
Within the framework of the ILO-PROSPECTS: Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities, the ILO in Egypt is promoting employability skills, inclusive skills and LLL pathways.
This study undertaken as a part of the programme includes a mapping of LLL and inclusive skills opportunities and introduces three concrete implementation strategies to enhance LLL and inclusive skills development in Egypt. These are,
1. systems to forecast skills needs;
2. strategies that allow persons with disabilities to access continuing training on an equal standing;
3. strategies for continuing education in specific fields such as new technologies (for example artificial intelligence, automation), IT, competencies of unskilled workers, skills for green jobs, including for women in particular.
These scenarios or project ideas outline possible donors and private sector buy-in and as a recommendation for the ILO’s future applications.
Lifelong learning
Skills and training policy
Africa
