Informal economy

2012: The year of global reports on TVET, skills and jobs: Consensus or diversity?

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Document

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															2012: The year of global reports on TVET, skills and jobs: Consensus or diversity?
													

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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.

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skpOSource

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other-sources

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Rural employment

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Eight out of 10 of the world’s working poor who live on US $1.25 per day live in rural areas, where many are caught in vulnerable employment, especially in agriculture.Flourishing rural areas are vital to regional and national development. Yet, rural economies tend to face a wide range of challenges that urban areas are more likely to overcome. These include access to transportation, sanitation and health services, and a consumer base in close proximity to support small and medium enterprise development. Women and men working in rural areas also face difficulties associated with a paucity of economic opportunities, under investment, poor infrastructure and public services, including education, and, in many cases, weak governance and underdeveloped markets.

Education, entrepreneurship, and physical and social infrastructure all play an important role in developing rural regions. Skills are central to improving employability and livelihood opportunities, reducing poverty, enhancing productivity and promoting environmentally sustainable development.

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skpREmpl

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rural-employment

Training quality and relevance

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skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

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.

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skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

29 Aug 2014

Open

wcmstest4_119248.pdf

NORRAG News 48 After the dearth of global skills analysis for many years, there is now suddenly a glut. 2012 has been a significant year for those interested in the links among Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), skills, and jobs - especially evident in the launch of a number of global reports on these topics. Global reports range from the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) ‘Global Employment Trends 2012: Preventing a Deeper Jobs Crisis’, to the World Bank’s ‘World Development Report 2013: Jobs’.

This issue of NORRAG News examines the different meanings of skills in global reports: high, medium, low, foundation, transferable, technical and vocational skills, as well as life-skills. It also focuses on the state of skills in urban and rural areas, and the current usage of ‘skills-for-poverty-reduction’, as well as ‘skills-for-growth’. The reports under examination cover skills in the informal economy, as well as work-based skills and on-the-job training. Some of the reports also consider the emerging meanings and frontiers of TVET.

Subject Tags:

Economic and social development

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economic-and-social-development

Identifier

125

G20 Training Strategy

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g20-training-strategy

Identifier

644

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informal-economy

Identifier

187

Lifelong learning

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lifelong-learning

Identifier

400

Private sector

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private-sector

Identifier

229

Rural employment

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rural-employment

Identifier

670

Rural workers

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rural-workers

Identifier

637

Skills and training policy

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skills-and-training-policy

Identifier

666

Transferable skills

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transferable-skills

Identifier

660

TVET systems

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tvet-systems

Identifier

661

Regions:

Global

Enhancing skills and employability: Facilitating access to the formal economy

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Document

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Enhancing skills and employability: Facilitating access to the formal economy

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English

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english

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skpEng

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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

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skpILO

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ilo

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Access to training

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Access for all to good quality education, vocational training and workplace learning is a fundamental principle of social cohesion and economic growth. Some groups of people may require targeted attention if they are to benefit from education, training and employment opportunities.

This is particularly the case for disadvantaged youth, lower skilled workers, people with disabilities, and people in rural communities. The attractiveness of vocational education and training is enhanced when combined with entrepreneurship training and when public policies encourage utilization of higher skills by business.

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skpATSU

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access-to-training

Skills policies and strategies

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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.

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skpPolConv

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skills-policies-and-strategies

Training quality and relevance

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skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

Policy and strategy

Recommendations and advice on resolving policy challenges related to skills development systems and their linkages to the world of work. Concise syntheses of experience from the international organizations.

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skpPolOp

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policy-and-strategy

Publication Date:

24 Jul 2013

Open

wcmstest4_058645.pdf

The brief is part of the section on entrepreneurship, skills development and finance in 'The informal economy and decent work: A policy resource guide supporting transitions to formality' This brief examines the impediments to skills upgrading in the informal economy: ranging from lack of policy coherence at the macro level, institutional weaknesses in training providers at the meso level through to inappropriate and inflexible delivery at the micro level. It highlights a range of policy innovations from around the world which have opened up entry points for integration with the mainstream economy. These include strengthening the capacity of existing service providers to reach the informal economy; recognising skills gained in the informal economy; policy coherence between human resource policies and other macro- policies to ensure better alignment of supply and demand; as well as improving the quality, delivery and relevance of skills to meet the needs of those currently in the informal economy.

Subject Tags:

Apprenticeships

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apprenticeships

Identifier

639

Informal economy

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informal-economy

Identifier

187

Policy convergence

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policy-convergence

Identifier

674

Skills mismatch

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skills-mismatch

Identifier

654

Skills recognition

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skills-recognition

Identifier

656

Skills upgrading

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skills-upgrading

Identifier

657

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UNESCO-BREDA Cadre d'action pour l'EFTP

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Document

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UNESCO-BREDA Cadre d'action pour l'EFTP

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French

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french

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skpFrn

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Information is gathered from other international organizations that promote skills development and the transition from education and training to work. The Interagency Group on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (IAG-TVET) was established in 2009 to share research findings, coordinate joint research endeavours, and improve collaboration among organizations working at the international and national levels.

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skpIntOrg

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international-organizations

Topics:

Access to training

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skpATSU

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access-to-training

Financing of training

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Initial education and training and lifelong learning benefit individuals, employers and society as a whole. Economic principles dictate that the costs for services with public and private benefits should be shared between public and private funding, or else too little training will be provided or taken up. Effective mechanisms for financing skills development vary according to countries’ economic and political circumstances and the degree and level of social dialogue established.

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skpFinanT

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financing-training

Rural employment

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skpREmpl

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rural-employment

Training quality and relevance

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skpTrainQR

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training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

National policies and initiatives

National legislation, policies and initiatives on the issue of training and skills development and the world of work.

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skpNatPol

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national-policies-and-initiatives

Publication Date:

09 Sep 2013

Open

wcmstest4_074645.pdf

Un cadre d’action pour promouvoir la réforme de l’enseignement et de la formation techniques et professionnels (EFTP) en Afrique subsaharienne à l’appui du Plan d’action de l’Union Africaine pour la Deuxième décennie de l’éducation (2006-2015)

Ce document a été élaboré par l’UNESCO-BREDA (Bureau régional pour l’éducation en Afrique). Il trace un cadre d’action en vue d’aider les pays d’Afrique subsaharienne, par l’intermédiaire de l’UNESCO et de ses bureaux hors Siège, à relever les nombreux défis aux- quels ils se trouvent confrontés en matière d’enseignement et de formation techniques et professionnels (EFTP).

Il a pour objectif de fournir aux professionnels de l’UNESCO des lignes directrices pour le développement de programmes et d’activités en Afrique subsaharienne. Il aidera les Commissions nationales pour l’UNESCO et les autres partenaires au sein des États membres à repérer dans quels domaines le BREDA et les autres bureaux hors Siège pourront mettre en œuvre leurs instruments et méthodes de travail à l’appui du développement des systèmes nationaux d’EFTP.

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Financing training

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financing-training

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673

Informal economy

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informal-economy

Identifier

187

Rural development

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rural-development

Identifier

152

Rural employment

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rural-employment

Identifier

670

School-to-work transition

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school-to-work-transition

Identifier

652

TVET systems

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tvet-systems

Identifier

661

Regions:

Africa

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Improving skills development in the informal sector: Strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa

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Document

Content Type:

															Improving skills development in the informal sector: Strategies for Sub-Saharan Africa
													

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English

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english

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skpEng

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skpIntOrg

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international-organizations

Topics:

Access to training

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Identifier

skpATSU

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access-to-training

Knowledge Products:

Case studies and good practices

Case studies that document good practices and illustrate the benefits and lessons learnt of particular approaches or methods in real practice.

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Identifier

skpCaseStdy

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case-studies-and-good-practices

Research papers

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skpRPS

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research-papers

Publication Date:

20 Aug 2013

Open

wcmstest4_067645.pdf

Sub-Saharan Africa has millions of nonfarm workers engaged in small and household enterprises outside formal wage employment, constituting the informal sector. Previously seen as a pool of surplus labor expected to be absorbed by future industrialization, this sector has instead become a persistent feature of the region’s economic landscape, and accounts for a majority of new jobs created off the farm.

Expanding the sector’s potential as a source of employment for the region’s growing workforce and improving its productivity and earnings are priorities for poverty reduction. This publication examines the role played by education and skills development in serving these priorities.

The study looks at how formal education, technical and vocational education and training, apprenticeships, and on-the-job learning shape employment and earnings in the informal sector in five countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania, that together account for one-third of the nearly 900 million people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, the paper examines: (a) the employment characteristics of the informal sector, (b) its size and impact on poverty, (c) the profile of education and training in the informal and formal sectors and the links with employment and earnings, and (d) the skills development strategies of those working in the informal sector.

The importance of this study is its quantitative assessment, using household surveys, of the relationship of different sources of skills development to the sector in which one works and to one’s earnings. The paper also examines a set of economic constraints to skills development and offers an insightful approach to improving employment outcomes, including examples of successful interventions taken from the five countries and elsewhere.

Subject Tags:

Apprenticeships

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apprenticeships

Identifier

639

Informal economy

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informal-economy

Identifier

187

Poverty alleviation

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poverty-alleviation

Identifier

149

Vocational training

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vocational-training

Identifier

124

Regions:

Africa

Region Image

Countries and territories:

Ghana

Kenya

Nigeria

Rwanda

United Republic of Tanzania

Local edge: Decent work - Stories from the grassroots

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Local edge: Decent work - Stories from the grassroots

Language:

English

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english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

Topics:

Access to training

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Identifier

skpATSU

Slug

access-to-training

Rural employment

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Identifier

skpREmpl

Slug

rural-employment

Knowledge Products:

Case studies and good practices

Case studies that document good practices and illustrate the benefits and lessons learnt of particular approaches or methods in real practice.

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Identifier

skpCaseStdy

Slug

case-studies-and-good-practices

Promotional material

Presentations, discussion papers, meeting reports, promotional materials, videos, fact sheets, brochures and newsletters on skills development for employment.

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skpAIM

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promotional-material

Publication Date:

30 Jul 2013

Open

wcmstest4_060246.pdf

The brochure features case studies on local employment initiatives in Asia, including skills development initiatives.

Subject Tags:

Disadvantaged youth

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disadvantaged-youth

Identifier

663

Entrepreneurship

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entrepreneurship

Identifier

182

Informal economy

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informal-economy

Identifier

187

People with disabilities

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people-with-disabilities

Identifier

323

Rural development

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rural-development

Identifier

152

Rural employment

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rural-employment

Identifier

670

Regions:

Asia and the Pacific

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Countries and territories:

Cambodia

Nepal

Philippines

Sri Lanka

Viet Nam

Regional experts’ knowledge sharing workshop on upgrading informal apprenticeship: Summary

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Document

Content Type:

															Regional experts’ knowledge sharing workshop on upgrading informal apprenticeship: Summary
													

Language:

English

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english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

Topics:

Knowledge Products:

Promotional material

Presentations, discussion papers, meeting reports, promotional materials, videos, fact sheets, brochures and newsletters on skills development for employment.

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skpAIM

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promotional-material

Publication Date:

30 Sep 2013

Open

wcmstest4_082245.pdf

Provides a summary of the workshop held from 22-25 April 2013 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Apprenticeship systems in the informal economy remain a major provider of skills in most countries in Africa. The ILO’s work programme on informal apprenticeship raises awareness on the system’s strength and weaknesses, and promotes ways to upgrade it.

This publication provides a summary of the Regional experts' knowledge sharing workshop on upgrading informal apprenticeship, organized by the ILO in conjunction with the 5th Conference of the International Network on Innovative Apprenticeship (INAP). A special focus session on informal apprenticeship complemented the two-day research conference and featured country experiences and lessons learnt from policies and programmes.

The workshop was attended by over 50 participants from government ministries, social partners, researchers, practitioners, ILO project staff, and representatives of international organizations including the World Bank and the European Training Foundation. The countries in attendance included Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Subject Tags:

Apprenticeships

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apprenticeships

Identifier

639

Informal economy

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informal-economy

Identifier

187

Skills recognition

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skills-recognition

Identifier

656

Youth

Slug

youth

Identifier

319

Regions:

Africa

Region Image

Disability: Inclusive approaches for productive work

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Disability: Inclusive approaches for productive work

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

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ilo

Topics:

Access to training

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Identifier

skpATSU

Slug

access-to-training

People with disabilities

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Of an estimated 1 billion people with disabilities in the world today, some 785 million are of working age. While many are successfully employed and fully integrated into society, most face a disproportionate level of poverty and unemployment. This is a massive loss both to them and their countries. A strategy of including people with disabilities in training and employment promotion policies, combined with targeted supports to ensure their participation, can help disabled persons obtain productive mainstream employment.

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skpPeoDis

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people-with-disabilities

Knowledge Products:

Policy and strategy

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Identifier

skpPolOp

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policy-and-strategy

Publication Date:

24 Jul 2013

Open

wcmstest4_058646.pdf

The brief is part of the section on promoting equality and addressing discrimination in 'The informal economy and decent work: A policy resource guide supporting transitions to formality' As a result of labour market discrimination and social exclusion disabled people are most often found in the survivalist end of the informal economy, particularly in developing countries. There is a significant economic cost of not having disabled people productively engaged in the economy. In both developed and developing countries, under-utilization of disabled people in the workforce has a significant negative effect on the productivity of national economies. Inclusive approaches within policies to support the transition to formality in areas such as education, training, entrepreneurship, access to productive resources and work opportunities can help transform the cycles of poverty and marginalization which characterize the lives of many disabled people.

Subject Tags:

Economic and social rights

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economic-and-social-rights

Identifier

264

Entrepreneurship

Slug

entrepreneurship

Identifier

182

Informal economy

Slug

informal-economy

Identifier

187

Poverty

Slug

poverty

Identifier

148

Productivity

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productivity

Identifier

188

Regions:

Credit where credit's due: Experiences with the recognition of prior learning and insights for India

Type:

Document

Content Type:

															Credit where credit's due: Experiences with the recognition of prior learning and insights for India 
													

Language:

English

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english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

Other sources

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Identifier

skpOSource

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other-sources

Topics:

Lifelong learning

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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.

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skpPSLLL

Slug

lifelong-learning

Knowledge Products:

Evaluation reports

Analytical assessments of technical cooperation programmes and national skills and employment policies, identifying success factors of different interventions in response to particular challenges in different circumstances.

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Identifier

skpEvalRep

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evaluation-reports

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

Slug

research-papers

Publication Date:

24 Jul 2013

Open

wcmstest4_058445.pdf

The report focuses on the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in the Indian context by evaluating LabourNet’s RPL initiative in Bangalore. It seeks to shed light on the potential of RPL to support skills development in India, the challenges around its introduction, and the lessons for policy and practice that can support further development in this area.

Through a series of interviews with LabourNet staff, assessment teams and workers who had undergone the RPL process, the study aims to evaluate the programme's successes in terms of developing and administering RPL, and the views of the initiative's customers - the workers themselves - on the success and value of the programme.

LabourNet's RPL programme, which is carried out for informal workers in the construction sector, highlights both what can be achieved with RPL projects on the ground and what some of the challenges are in implementing it. The organisation has developed an innovative approach to assessment design in the absence of national occupational standards that form the basis of RPL elsewhere, and has successfully developed assessments that can be seen as largely rigorous and accurate.

The report concludes with recommendations on how the lessons learned and insights gained can be taken forward in India and identifies key considerations and good practices for the replication and expansion of RPL in India.

Subject Tags:

Construction industry

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construction-industry

Identifier

208

Informal economy

Slug

informal-economy

Identifier

187

Skills recognition

Slug

skills-recognition

Identifier

656

Regions:

Asia and the Pacific

Region Image

Countries and territories:

India

Upgrading informal apprenticeship (presentation)

Type:

Document

Content Type:

Upgrading informal apprenticeship (presentation)

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

ILO

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Identifier

skpILO

Slug

ilo

Topics:

Knowledge Products:

Promotional material

Presentations, discussion papers, meeting reports, promotional materials, videos, fact sheets, brochures and newsletters on skills development for employment.

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Identifier

skpAIM

Slug

promotional-material

Publication Date:

15 Jul 2013

Open

wcmstest4_056245.pdf

Presented at Regional Experts Knowledge Sharing Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa, April 2013

Subject Tags:

Informal economy

Slug

informal-economy

Identifier

187

Regions:

Skills development for the informal economy: Issues and options in vocational education and training in the Southern partner countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy

Type:

Document

Content Type:

															Skills development for the informal economy: Issues and options in vocational education and training in the Southern partner countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy
													

Language:

English

Slug

english

Identifier

skpEng

Sources:

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Identifier

skpIntOrg

Slug

international-organizations

Other sources

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Identifier

skpOSource

Slug

other-sources

Topics:

Access to training

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Identifier

skpATSU

Slug

access-to-training

Training quality and relevance

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Identifier

skpTrainQR

Slug

training-quality-and-relevance

Knowledge Products:

Case studies and good practices

Case studies that document good practices and illustrate the benefits and lessons learnt of particular approaches or methods in real practice.

Thumbnail

Identifier

skpCaseStdy

Slug

case-studies-and-good-practices

Research papers

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Identifier

skpRPS

Slug

research-papers

Publication Date:

03 Jul 2013

Open

wcmstest4_053845.pdf

In its cooperation with partner countries outside the European Union, the European Commission has long been concerned with the development of human resources. Since 1995, the European Union has supported much needed reforms in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in most Mediterranean partner countries through multiple projects.

The report focuses on nine Mediterranean countries which, while differing in many ways, also share characteristics. They all made major efforts in broadening access to education and training, but the gains thereof in terms of widespread income improvements are yet to materialize. Most countries have severe problems in balancing labour supply and demand. Their labour force participation rates are lower and their unemployment rates are higher than those of most countries outside the region. They all have significant and growing informal economies in which currently between 30 and 60 per cent of the labour force try and make a living without being covered by formal arrangements such as foreseen in regulation and legislation.

The report reviews what the countries in MENA region do to overcome informality at work and skill deficits. It provides policy recommendations for boosting skills of the working poor and integrating these measures into broader human development strategies.

Subject Tags:

Informal economy

Slug

informal-economy

Identifier

187

Vocational training

Slug

vocational-training

Identifier

124

Working poor

Slug

working-poor

Identifier

150

Regions: