Skills development for industrial clusters: A preliminary review
Skills development for industrial clusters: A preliminary review
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
Case studies that document good practices and illustrate the benefits and lessons learnt of particular approaches or methods in real practice.
Slug
case-studies-and-good-practices
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.
Employment Working Paper No.
8
The current paper provides a basic conceptual framework for understanding the role of skills in cluster development. The framework was developed by analyzing the skills aspect of a
number of well-researched cluster case studies (knitwear in India, surgical
instruments in Pakistan, shoes in Brazil, fishing in Kenya and garment in South
Africa).
The study highlights the significant role of skills in cluster development, both as
a precondition for cluster emergence and as a catalyst for developing a skilled
workforce and generating knowledge spillovers. A variety of approaches to skills upgrading are presented and the paper argues that different types of clusters benefit from different skills interventions. Appropriate interventions can range from strengthening the public training system in supplying technical skills, consolidating local apprenticeship, establishing cluster-specific training centres based on public-private partnerships, providing basic and strategic management skills, promoting research and links with academia, and encouraging specific training to promote compliance with international standards (e.g. health and safety, child labour, environment).
The findings of this paper also indicate that the enhancement of technical
training needs to be combined with the broader technological improvement of local
enterprises, particularly in underperforming clusters. In this regard, the paper stresses
that skills development interventions must be implemented hand-in-hand with efforts
for product and process upgrading, thus increasing
the demand for higher skills (e.g.
by promoting linkages with quality markets). The paper argues that cluster
development can support economic and social development and that skills
development is a key ingredient in achieving those twin objectives.
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