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Skills development in South Asia: Trends in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Skills development in South Asia: Trends in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Skills development in South Asia: Trends in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

Governments

Governments hold a wealth of knowledge on skills development, and are increasingly realizing the value of learning from each others’ experiences. Their policy documents, programme evaluations, and research findings contain their experience and ideas on how to better link skills to employment

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Identifier
skpGov
Slug
governments

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.

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOSource
Slug
other-sources
Topics:

Anticipating and matching skills needs

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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. 

Identifier
skpAFSN
Slug
anticipating-and-matching-skills-needs
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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Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
22 Jun 2015
Open
wcmstest4_145057.pdf
A custom research report for British Council by The Economist Intelligence Unit One of the biggest challenges for South Asian countries in coming years is to unlock the latent potential of the millions of young people entering the workforce. The region is poised to benefit from a “demographic dividend”, which could lead to great gains in poverty reduction, employment generation and economic growth. Yet the other possible result is widespread youth unemployment.

In this context, the importance of skills development as a driver of socio-economic development is paramount. Governments have recognised the importance of education and training in this process. There have been notable successes in improved participation rates for primary and secondary education across the region. But youth unemployment and underemployment remain pervasive, despite a growing cohort of educated young workers joining the workforce. As a result, policymakers are now placing greater emphasis on understanding skill gaps in labour markets and developing skills systems geared to address these.

This publication maintains that the potential economic rewards of greater public-sector focus on skills could be immense, though the complexity of the challenge and other competing priorities suggest that such efforts must be targeted, guided by data and evidence, and done in collaboration with the private sector.
Subject Tags:

Skills and training policy

Slug
skills-and-training-policy
Identifier
666

Skills anticipation

Slug
skills-anticipation
Identifier
677
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a strong track record of growth and development, even in times of elevated global uncertainty.  A robust demographic dividend, strong ready-made garment exports, resilient remittance inflows, and stable macroeconomic conditions have supported rapid economic growth over the past two decades. A strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continued in FY22, although a recent surge in commodity prices has presented new headwinds. 

Bangladesh reached lower-middle income status in 2015. It is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries list in 2026. Poverty declined from 43.5 percent in 1991 to 14.3 percent in 2016, based on the international poverty line of $1.90 a day (1).  

Like many of its Asian neighbours, Bangladesh faces a major challenge trying to develop modern, employability skills for tens of millions of young women and men. It has a large informal sector, which accounts for 94.7 percent of the total employment in 2017 (2). Youth continue to be highly affected by the lack of opportunities, with the share of youth aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training (NEET), estimated at 27.8 percent in 2020 (3). 

TVET has a huge role to play in equipping the vast young labour force of 15-29 years referred to as the country’s “demographic dividend” with employability skills and providing enhanced support services to ensure a better transition from school to work. TVET may also contribute to reducing poverty by providing employability skills, particularly to those who drop out of school early and to a large number of unemployed and underemployed adults.  

Despite many reform initiatives by the government, the TVET sector needs further strengthening through reform of policies and systems in the labour market.  Enhancing industry-relevance of TVET qualifications will furthermore require closer Government cooperation with the private sector. For one and a half decade, the ILO has worked closely with the Government of Bangladesh and its Social Partners to reform the TVET sector and to improve access for people to increase their skills and employability, in particular youth, women and people from other marginalized groups. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had detrimental effects on the TVET sector, due to the nation-wide closure of all educational institutes for one and a half years, starting on 17 March 2020.  Most students’ learning was effectively abolished for this duration, and learning and certification was only possible through limited online learning facilities in existence at the time. Only recently has the TVET returned to its prior activity level. 

The ILO landmark programmes aim to strengthen and improve the environment for industry skills development, address the mismatch between the supply and demand for skills training, and drive the increased employability of millions of young women and men. ILO’s support to develop the skills system in Bangladesh has focused on skills system governance, development of skills policies and qualifications frameworks; delivery of quality skills training, expanding access to TVET, and involvement by the private sector.    

 

Sources 

(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/bangladesh/overview

(2) https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/informality/

(3) https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/youth/

Country Assessment and Priority (CAP) – Bangladesh strategy for skills and lifelong learning (2022)

Situation Analysis of Bangladesh TVET Sector (2019) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-dhaka/documents/publication/wcms_735704.pdf_

Enhancing socio-economic development through investing in human capital in Punjab and Sindh

Enhancing socio-economic development through investing in human capital in Punjab and Sindh

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Enhancing socio-economic development through investing in human capital in Punjab and Sindh
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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.

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOSource
Slug
other-sources
Topics:

Anticipating and matching skills needs

Thumbnail

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. 

Identifier
skpAFSN
Slug
anticipating-and-matching-skills-needs

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

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. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
22 Jun 2015
Open
wcmstest4_145053.pdf
Supported by European Commission (EC), the project, 'Enhancing socio-economic development through investing in human capital in Punjab and Sindh' seeks to improve the TVET sector by working on relevance, quality, access and equity of TVET services predominantly for the deprived communities, and exclusively focuses on rural women and youth in Sindh and Southern Punjab. The target districts for the project include Multan, Muzaffargarh, Vehari, Rajanpur in Punjab and district Tando Allahyar, Thatta and Mirpur Khas in Sindh.

This report documents a baseline study carried out as part of the preparatory stage by the project to assess the present situation in the target locations and set bench marks against the performance indicators identified in the project design. The study aimed to identify marketable skills, technical and vocational training needs of rural women and youth, barriers, challenges and opportunities regarding youth and women's employability and self-employment in the seven target districts. The study employed both quantitative and qualitative data gathering tools including a questionnaire survey, FGDs and In-depth interviews with key stakeholders complimented by a literature review.
Subject Tags:

Skills anticipation

Slug
skills-anticipation
Identifier
677

Social policy

Slug
social-policy
Identifier
300

TVET systems

Slug
tvet-systems
Identifier
661

Vocational training

Slug
vocational-training
Identifier
124

Women

Slug
women
Identifier
318
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Labor Migration, Skills, and Student Mobility in Asia

Labor Migration, Skills, and Student Mobility in Asia

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Labor Migration, Skills, and Student Mobility in Asia
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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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Identifier
skpILO
Slug
ilo

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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Identifier
skpIntOrg
Slug
international-organizations

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.

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOSource
Slug
other-sources
Topics:

Migrant workers

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According to the ILO global estimates on migrant workers, there were around 164 million migrant workers in 2017. 

Migrant workers contribute to growth and development in their countries of destination, while countries of origin greatly benefit from their remittances and the skills acquired during their migration experience. Yet, many migrant workers face challenges in accessing quality training and decent jobs including under-utilization of skills, a lack of employment or training opportunities, lack of information, and exploitation of low-skilled workers.

To address these challenges, countries need to strengthen skills anticipation systems to inform migration policies, increase access to education and training, and establish bilateral or multilateral recognition of qualifications and skills.

Identifier
skpMigWor
Slug
migrant-workers
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. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
16 Apr 2014
Open
wcmstest4_112452.pdf
This report is a summary of the major policy issues raised at discussions among experts and practitioners from various international organizations and several Asian countries at the “Third Roundtable on Labor Migration: Assessing Labor Market Requirements for Foreign Workers and Policies for Regional Skills Mobility.” The roundtable was co-organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Bangkok from 23 to 25 January 2013.

The report highlights the trends and outlook for labor migration in Asia and assesses the labor market requirements for foreign workers. It also focuses on building a mobility area for skills to help create a “free flow of skilled labor” among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states, gaining from skills portability and links between education and migration, as well as managing low-skilled migration and promoting decent work opportunities for labor migrants.

The annex of the report includes a compilation of updated data on the international migration flows within and from Asia to provide a better understanding of the labor migration trends in the region
Subject Tags:

Migrant workers

Slug
migrant-workers
Identifier
681

Migration policy

Slug
migration-policy
Identifier
309

Skills recognition

Slug
skills-recognition
Identifier
656

Talent mobility

Slug
talent-mobility
Identifier
659
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a strong track record of growth and development, even in times of elevated global uncertainty.  A robust demographic dividend, strong ready-made garment exports, resilient remittance inflows, and stable macroeconomic conditions have supported rapid economic growth over the past two decades. A strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continued in FY22, although a recent surge in commodity prices has presented new headwinds. 

Bangladesh reached lower-middle income status in 2015. It is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries list in 2026. Poverty declined from 43.5 percent in 1991 to 14.3 percent in 2016, based on the international poverty line of $1.90 a day (1).  

Like many of its Asian neighbours, Bangladesh faces a major challenge trying to develop modern, employability skills for tens of millions of young women and men. It has a large informal sector, which accounts for 94.7 percent of the total employment in 2017 (2). Youth continue to be highly affected by the lack of opportunities, with the share of youth aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training (NEET), estimated at 27.8 percent in 2020 (3). 

TVET has a huge role to play in equipping the vast young labour force of 15-29 years referred to as the country’s “demographic dividend” with employability skills and providing enhanced support services to ensure a better transition from school to work. TVET may also contribute to reducing poverty by providing employability skills, particularly to those who drop out of school early and to a large number of unemployed and underemployed adults.  

Despite many reform initiatives by the government, the TVET sector needs further strengthening through reform of policies and systems in the labour market.  Enhancing industry-relevance of TVET qualifications will furthermore require closer Government cooperation with the private sector. For one and a half decade, the ILO has worked closely with the Government of Bangladesh and its Social Partners to reform the TVET sector and to improve access for people to increase their skills and employability, in particular youth, women and people from other marginalized groups. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had detrimental effects on the TVET sector, due to the nation-wide closure of all educational institutes for one and a half years, starting on 17 March 2020.  Most students’ learning was effectively abolished for this duration, and learning and certification was only possible through limited online learning facilities in existence at the time. Only recently has the TVET returned to its prior activity level. 

The ILO landmark programmes aim to strengthen and improve the environment for industry skills development, address the mismatch between the supply and demand for skills training, and drive the increased employability of millions of young women and men. ILO’s support to develop the skills system in Bangladesh has focused on skills system governance, development of skills policies and qualifications frameworks; delivery of quality skills training, expanding access to TVET, and involvement by the private sector.    

 

Sources 

(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/bangladesh/overview

(2) https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/informality/

(3) https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/youth/

Country Assessment and Priority (CAP) – Bangladesh strategy for skills and lifelong learning (2022)

Situation Analysis of Bangladesh TVET Sector (2019) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-dhaka/documents/publication/wcms_735704.pdf_

The scope and nature of workplace learning in Sindh

The scope and nature of workplace learning in Sindh

Type:
Document
Content Type:
The scope and nature of workplace learning in Sindh
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpILO
Slug
ilo
Topics:

Training quality and relevance

Thumbnail
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

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. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
05 Aug 2013
Open
wcmstest4_063645.pdf
Carried out by the ILO project “Empowering Vulnerable Groups through Education, Employment and Training” as part of its research work in the area of skills needs assessment and development, the study explores the nature and scope of workplace learning in the province of Sindh in Pakistan and contains case studies and good practices in workplace learning in Sindh.
Subject Tags:

Skills upgrading

Slug
skills-upgrading
Identifier
657

Survey

Slug
survey
Identifier
611

Vocational training

Slug
vocational-training
Identifier
124
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Skills development for industrial clusters: A preliminary review

Skills development for industrial clusters: A preliminary review

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Skills development for industrial clusters: A preliminary review
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpILO
Slug
ilo
Topics:

Other topic

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpOIssue
Slug
other-topic
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

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. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
13 May 2013
Open
wcmstest4_045435.pdf
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.
Subject Tags:

Enterprises

Slug
enterprises
Identifier
175

Productivity

Slug
productivity
Identifier
188

Skills upgrading

Slug
skills-upgrading
Identifier
657

Vocational training

Slug
vocational-training
Identifier
124
Regions:

Africa

Region Image

Americas

Region Image
Countries and territories:

Pakistan: The National Skills Strategy 2009-2013

Pakistan: The National Skills Strategy 2009-2013

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Pakistan: The National Skills Strategy 2009-2013
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

Governments

Governments hold a wealth of knowledge on skills development, and are increasingly realizing the value of learning from each others’ experiences. Their policy documents, programme evaluations, and research findings contain their experience and ideas on how to better link skills to employment

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpGov
Slug
governments
Topics:

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. 
 

Identifier
skpATSU
Slug
access-to-training

Training quality and relevance

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpTrainQR
Slug
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. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpNatPol
Slug
national-policies-and-initiatives
Publication Date:
24 Apr 2013
Open
wcmstest4_042635.pdf
The National Skills Strategy was developed in extensive consultation with various stakeholders, including local and international experts, relevant Ministries, provincial governments, training providers, trainees, private sector associations and Chambers of Commerce. Pakistan’s National Skills Strategy (2009-2013) proposes a paradigm shift from curricula-based education to competency-based training. It sets the following objectives:

1. Providing relevant skills for industrial and economic development
2. Improving access, equity and employability
3. Assuring quality

The Strategy emphasizes the importance of enhancing the role of the private sector in policy making, designing and setting standards in training; improving apprenticeship training systems and providing more flexibility in industries’ selection of trainees and the structure of the training.
Subject Tags:

Apprenticeships

Slug
apprenticeships
Identifier
639

Economic recovery

Slug
economic-recovery
Identifier
667

Employability

Slug
employability
Identifier
643

Entrepreneurship

Slug
entrepreneurship
Identifier
182

Private sector

Slug
private-sector
Identifier
229

Public private partnerships

Slug
public-private-partnerships
Identifier
138

Qualification frameworks

Slug
qualification-frameworks
Identifier
651
Slug
training-of-trainers
Identifier
122

Vocational training

Slug
vocational-training
Identifier
124
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Establishing a gender sensitive career counseling CHOICES: Helping women make better career reducing disparities in employment through effective career counselling for women in Pakistan

Establishing a gender sensitive career counseling CHOICES: Helping women make better career reducing disparities in employment through effective career counselling for women in Pakistan

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Establishing a gender sensitive career counseling CHOICES: Helping women make better career reducing disparities in employment through effective career counselling for women in Pakistan
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpILO
Slug
ilo
Topics:

Career guidance and employment services

Thumbnail

Career guidance and counselling, career education and lifelong development of skills for employability are key for success in learning activities, effective career transitions, livelihood planning, entrepreneurship and in increasing labour market participation. They are instrumental in promoting skills utilization, recognition (RPL), as well as in improving enterprise human resource management.

Career development activities encompass a wide variety of support activities including career information and advice, counselling, work exposure (e.g. job shadowing, work experience periods), assessment, coaching, mentoring, professional networking, advocacy, basic and employability skills training (curricular and non-curricular) and entrepreneurship training. It is often an area which is fragmented across different ministries (e.g. education, TVET, employment, youth) requiring an effort to achieve the necessary coordination to provide adequate support to individuals during learning, employment and unemployment/inactivity periods.
 

Identifier
skpLMIES
Slug
career-guidance-and-employment-services

Gender equality

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Women represent both half of the world's population – and half the world's economic potential. Their participation in the labour market reduces poverty because they often invest 90 per cent of their income in the well-being, education and nutrition of their families. Yet labour force participation by women has stagnated at about 55 per cent globally since 2010. Moreover, women are disproportionately represented in precarious work – low-paid, low-skilled and insecure jobs.

Training plays an important role in the pursuit of equality of opportunity and treatment for women and men in the world of work. Yet women often lack access to technical and vocational education and training. Many also lack the basic functional skills, such as literacy and numeracy, to participate meaningfully in the work force. Overcoming this challenge requires the adoption of a life-cycle approach. This includes improving girls’ access to basic education; overcoming logistic, economic and cultural barriers to apprenticeships and to secondary and vocational training for young women; and meeting the training needs of women re-entering the labour market and of older women who have not had equal access to opportunities for lifelong learning.

Identifier
skpGenEqul
Slug
gender-equality
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. 

Thumbnail
Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
14 Jan 2013
Open
fm11g_012617.pdf
The study was carried out by the International Labour Organization’s project ‘Towards Gender Parity in Pakistan’. This report covers the entire course of the CHOICES project that was developed in line with the objectives of the 'Towards Gender Parity' project and was conceptualized as the pilot test of an action-based research initiative attempting to reduce gender disparities by introducing gender sensitive career counseling. CHOICES itself represents the career counseling centre that was the planned outcome of the project activities. Three educational institutions, Institute of Management Sciences, University of Peshawar and the University of Karachi, provided resource persons who participated in the project and who are involved in establishing CHOICES units at each of these institutions. This report concludes with key lessons and recommendations for subsequent replication generated from the research, material development and workshop implementation involved in this pilot test. The study concludes that it is recommended to replicate this project on a broader scale and over a longer duration of time to allow for in-depth planning and monitoring.
Subject Tags:

Career guidance

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career-guidance
Identifier
640

Economic and social rights

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economic-and-social-rights
Identifier
264

Employability

Slug
employability
Identifier
643

Globalization

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globalization
Identifier
267

Human resources development

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human-resources-development
Identifier
118

Vocational counseling

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vocational-counseling
Identifier
662
Regions:
Countries and territories:

The knowledge economy and education and training in South Asia

The knowledge economy and education and training in South Asia

Type:
Document
Content Type:
The knowledge economy and education and training in South Asia
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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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Identifier
skpIntOrg
Slug
international-organizations
Topics:

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. 
 

Identifier
skpATSU
Slug
access-to-training

Training quality and relevance

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Identifier
skpTrainQR
Slug
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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Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers

Statistical information

Data produced by the international organizations and countries on trends in skills provision, demand, and employment outcomes to help inform policy-making and monitoring processes.

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Identifier
skpStatInfo
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statistical-information
Publication Date:
25 Dec 2012
Open
fm11g_011014.pdf
How education and training systems respond to the sweeping changes brought about by globalization and the knowledge economy can have far-reaching implications for developing countries in terms of sustainability of growth, competitiveness, job creation, and poverty reduction. This issue is especially pertinent to the countries of South Asia, which are currently growing at a rapid pace and are gradually becoming more integrated into the world economy. This regional study is a first attempt to address these questions. Its main objective is to document and compare trends in education and training in the countries of South Asia, as well as the associated changes in earnings and employment. It draws upon household, labor force, and firm-level surveys from 1990 to the most recent year available. The analysis focuses on Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka (countries with well-developed surveys), with some references to Bhutan, the Maldives, and Nepal, along with comparisons with countries in East Asia and with other regions.
Subject Tags:

Gender equality

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gender-equality
Identifier
144

School-to-work transition

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school-to-work-transition
Identifier
652

Vocational training

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vocational-training
Identifier
124

Youth unemployment

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youth-unemployment
Identifier
622
Regions:
Countries and territories:

Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a strong track record of growth and development, even in times of elevated global uncertainty.  A robust demographic dividend, strong ready-made garment exports, resilient remittance inflows, and stable macroeconomic conditions have supported rapid economic growth over the past two decades. A strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continued in FY22, although a recent surge in commodity prices has presented new headwinds. 

Bangladesh reached lower-middle income status in 2015. It is on track to graduate from the UN’s Least Developed Countries list in 2026. Poverty declined from 43.5 percent in 1991 to 14.3 percent in 2016, based on the international poverty line of $1.90 a day (1).  

Like many of its Asian neighbours, Bangladesh faces a major challenge trying to develop modern, employability skills for tens of millions of young women and men. It has a large informal sector, which accounts for 94.7 percent of the total employment in 2017 (2). Youth continue to be highly affected by the lack of opportunities, with the share of youth aged 15-24 not in employment, education or training (NEET), estimated at 27.8 percent in 2020 (3). 

TVET has a huge role to play in equipping the vast young labour force of 15-29 years referred to as the country’s “demographic dividend” with employability skills and providing enhanced support services to ensure a better transition from school to work. TVET may also contribute to reducing poverty by providing employability skills, particularly to those who drop out of school early and to a large number of unemployed and underemployed adults.  

Despite many reform initiatives by the government, the TVET sector needs further strengthening through reform of policies and systems in the labour market.  Enhancing industry-relevance of TVET qualifications will furthermore require closer Government cooperation with the private sector. For one and a half decade, the ILO has worked closely with the Government of Bangladesh and its Social Partners to reform the TVET sector and to improve access for people to increase their skills and employability, in particular youth, women and people from other marginalized groups. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had detrimental effects on the TVET sector, due to the nation-wide closure of all educational institutes for one and a half years, starting on 17 March 2020.  Most students’ learning was effectively abolished for this duration, and learning and certification was only possible through limited online learning facilities in existence at the time. Only recently has the TVET returned to its prior activity level. 

The ILO landmark programmes aim to strengthen and improve the environment for industry skills development, address the mismatch between the supply and demand for skills training, and drive the increased employability of millions of young women and men. ILO’s support to develop the skills system in Bangladesh has focused on skills system governance, development of skills policies and qualifications frameworks; delivery of quality skills training, expanding access to TVET, and involvement by the private sector.    

 

Sources 

(1) https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/bangladesh/overview

(2) https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/informality/

(3) https://ilostat.ilo.org/topics/youth/

Country Assessment and Priority (CAP) – Bangladesh strategy for skills and lifelong learning (2022)

Situation Analysis of Bangladesh TVET Sector (2019) https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—asia/—ro-bangkok/—ilo-dhaka/documents/publication/wcms_735704.pdf_

Linking education policy to labor market outcomes

Linking education policy to labor market outcomes

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Linking education policy to labor market outcomes
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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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Identifier
skpIntOrg
Slug
international-organizations
Topics:

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.

Identifier
skpPolConv
Slug
skills-policies-and-strategies

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. 

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Identifier
skpCaseStdy
Slug
case-studies-and-good-practices

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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Identifier
skpRPS
Slug
research-papers
Publication Date:
24 Dec 2012
Open
fm11g_011012.pdf
The objective of this study is to review what is known about the role of education in improving labor market outcomes, with a particular focus on policy considerations for developing countries. The report presents findings from current literature on the topic, which offer new ways of looking at the returns to education, together with evidence from four original data analysis and background studies of education and labor issues in Ghana and Pakistan. Country studies on Ghana and Pakistan are used to substantiate findings of the literature and illustrate the heterogeneity of education–labor market linkages across regions. These countries were chosen because they are representative of two of the poorest regions of the world and because their inclusion in the analysis complements ongoing World Bank work on education and labor market issues in those countries. The report argues that educational policies need to be seen within a broader macroeconomic context if education is to contribute to national economic growth.
Subject Tags:

Apprenticeships

Slug
apprenticeships
Identifier
639

Policy convergence

Slug
policy-convergence
Identifier
674

School-to-work transition

Slug
school-to-work-transition
Identifier
652

Skills mismatch

Slug
skills-mismatch
Identifier
654

Youth

Slug
youth
Identifier
319
Regions:

Africa

Region Image
Countries and territories:

Expanding economic opportunity and income security through workforce education, skills training, employment creation, and local economic development in Pakistan and the Philippines (TREE Project)

Expanding economic opportunity and income security through workforce education, skills training, employment creation, and local economic development in Pakistan and the Philippines (TREE Project)

Type:
Document
Content Type:
Expanding economic opportunity and income security through workforce education, skills training, employment creation, and local economic development in Pakistan and the Philippines (TREE Project)
Language:

English

Slug
english
Identifier
skpEng
Sources:

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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Identifier
skpILO
Slug
ilo
Topics:

Access to training

Thumbnail

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. 
 

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.

Identifier
skpPeoDis
Slug
people-with-disabilities

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.

Identifier
skpREmpl
Slug
rural-employment

Youth employability

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Globally, nearly 68 million young women and men are looking for and available for work,  and an estimated 123 million young people are working but living in poverty. The number who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) stands at 267 million, a majority of whom are young women. Significantly, young people are three times as likely as adults (25 years and older) to be unemployed.

Skills development is a primary means of enabling young people to make a smooth transition to work. A comprehensive approach is required to integrate young women and men in the labour market, including relevant and quality skills training, labour market information, career guidance and employment services, recognition of prior learning, incorporating entrepreneurship with training and effective skills forecasting. Improved basic education and core work skills are particularly important to enable youth to engage in lifelong learning as well as transition to the labour market. 

Identifier
skpYoEmp
Slug
youth-employability
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
Slug
evaluation-reports
Publication Date:
21 Dec 2012
Open
fm11g_010220.pdf
Provides a summary of the evaluation of the Training for Rural and Economic Empowerment in Pakistan and the Philippines. The project’s objectives were to enhance and build on capacities for developing skills and creating employment among the most socially and economically disadvantaged social groups.
Subject Tags:

Community development

Slug
community-development
Identifier
126

People with disabilities

Slug
people-with-disabilities
Identifier
323

Poverty

Slug
poverty
Identifier
148

Rural development

Slug
rural-development
Identifier
152

Rural employment

Slug
rural-employment
Identifier
670

Vocational training

Slug
vocational-training
Identifier
124

Women

Slug
women
Identifier
318

Youth

Slug
youth
Identifier
319
Regions:
Countries and territories:
Subscribe to Pakistan