Questions and Answers on: The G20 training strategy: A skilled workforce for strong, sustainable and balanced growth (Part 1)
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
Other sources
Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.
Anticipating and matching skills needs
Anticipating and building skills for the future is essential to a rapidly changing labour market. This applies to changes in the types and levels of skills needed as well as in occupational and technical areas. Effective methods to anticipate future skills needs and avoid potential mismatches include: sustained dialogue between employers and trainers, coordination across government institutions, labour market information systems, employment services and performance reviews of training institutions.
Monitoring and evaluation
Measuring the outcomes of skills systems, policies and targeted programmes is essential in order to monitor and improve their effectiveness and relevance. Elements of sound assessment processes include: institutions to sustain feedback from employers and trainees; mechanisms to track labour market outcomes of training and systems of accountability that use this information; and, quantitative and qualitative labour market information and its dissemination to all stakeholders.
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
Promotional material
Presentations, discussion papers, meeting reports, promotional materials, videos, fact sheets, brochures and newsletters on skills development for employment.
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.
What is the G20 Training Strategy (G20 TS) and how did it come about?
Meeting in Pittsburgh in September 2009, G20 Leaders called for putting quality jobs at the heart of the recovery from the global economic and financial crisis and committed to implementing plans that supported decent work, helped preserve jobs and prioritized job growth. They welcomed the ILO’s Global Jobs Pact and agreed on the importance of building an employment-oriented framework for future economic growth. They also acknowledged the role of skills development and called on the ILO, in partnership with other multilateral organizations, its constituents and NGOs, to develop a training strategy for their consideration. The strategy was submitted to the G20 in Toronto in June 2010 and included in a Multi-Year Action Plan on Development adopted by the G20 in Seoul in November 2010, That plan called on international organizations to work together to support developing countries, in particular low-income countries, “to continue to develop employment-related skills that are better matched to employer and market needs in order to attract investment and decent jobs.”
How does the G20 training strategy help countries develop relevant and accessible skills training?
The G20 TS highlights policies and actions that can generate strong, sustainable and balanced growth and narrow the development gap. Building on international experience, it articulates policy elements that are essential for developing a suitably skilled workforce including broad availability of good-quality education as a foundation for future training; a close matching of skills supply to meet the needs of enterprises and labour markets; enabling workers and enterprises to adjust to changes in technology and markets; and anticipating and preparing for the skills needs of the future.
What are the building blocks of strong training and skills strategies?
Robust training and skills strategies and policies are constructed from a number of building blocks. They include, among others: anticipating future skills needs; participation of social partners; sectoral approaches; labour market information and employment services; training quality and relevance; gender equality; broad access to training; financing training; and assessing policy performance.
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