Skills Virtual Fair: South-south and triangular cooperation
Skills Virtual Fair: South-south and triangular cooperation
English
ILO
The International Labour Organization is the tripartite U.N. agency that promotes Decent Work through employment, social security, labour standards and social dialogue. Its work on skills development is guided by the conceptual framework on Skills to improve productivity, employment growth, and development agreed in 2008 by representatives of Governments, Employers’ Associations and Workers’ Associations. Research, policy advice, and pilot projects and technical cooperation programmes to apply good practices in different circumstances across its 185 member States aims to boost the employability of workers, the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, and the inclusiveness of economic growth. The ILO Secretariat in offices in 40 countries works with Ministries of Labour, employers’ organizations, and trade unions to integrate skills development into national and sector development strategies in order to better meet current labour market needs and to prepare for the jobs of the future; to expand access to employment-related training so that youth, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are better able to acquire skills and secure productive and decent work; and to improve the ability of public employment services to provide career guidance, maintain labour exchange services, and deliver active labour market programmes.For more information regarding the ILO’s work on skills and employability go to: http://www.ilo.org/skills/lang--en/index.htm; for ILO/Cinterfor's Knowledge Management Plarform, see: http://www.oitcinterfor.org
Access to training
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.
Digital skills
The world of work is undergoing a substantial transformation due to new forces. In particular, technological advances, such as AI, automation and robotics, have produced numerous new opportunities, but also given rise to urgent challenges. While new jobs are constantly being created with the emergence of the digital economy, many jobs are at risk of becoming obsolete. Digital innovations will rapidly change the demand for skills, thereby creating a wider skills gap that has the potential to hold back economic growth. Equipping people with basic or advanced digital skills promises to prepare them for unprecedented job opportunities in the digital economy. This will lead to innovation, higher productivity and competitiveness, as well as expanding markets, access to work and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Lifelong learning
There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.
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.
Promotional material
Presentations, discussion papers, meeting reports, promotional materials, videos, fact sheets, brochures and newsletters on skills development for employment.
Research papers
Working papers, reports, and other publications from international organizations, academic institutions and bilateral agencies. Research findings to stimulate informed debate on skills, employment and productivity issues.
The first ILO Skills Virtual Fair aimed to foster South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC), to tackle specific skills development challenges. It focused on four main topics: 1) quality apprenticeships; 2) skills needs anticipation; 3) digital skills and digital transformation; and 4) skills in agriculture.
The Fair gathered more than 1,000 registered participants from 132 countries and included over 10 panel discussions with policy-makers and representatives of training institutions from Africa, Asia and the Americas. The Fair also featured thirty-nine virtual booths highlighting examples of good practices and digital solutions for skills development.
Participants had the opportunity to present innovations, engage and exchange knowledge and experiences directly with others to broaden their networks and build partnerships. As a direct positive result of the two-days virtual event, at least six new partnerships were developed among partners from South Africa, India, Switzerland, Democratic Republic of Congo, Vietnam, Brazil and Tanzania.
You can find the video recording of the sessions and the contents shared by participants by clicking on the links provided below.
Recording of the sessions (videos)
Day 1: 21 April
- SSTC experiences on Skills in Asia (EN, FR)
- Human Stories: The role of SSTC in achieving SDGs (EN, FR, AR)
- Thematic session: Fostering SSTC in Skills Anticipation and Matching (EN, FR)
- Global Opening - SSTC in Skills (EN, FR, AR, ES)
- Thematic session: Fostering SSTC in the Digital Transformation of Skills Systems (EN, FR)
- SSTC experiences on Skills in Latin America and Caribbean (EN, FR, ES)
- Conversation with SENAI (EN, FR, ES)
Day 2: 22 April
- SSTC experiences on Skills in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a focus on Agriculture (EN, FR, AR)
- SSTC experiences on Skills in Africa (EN, FR)
- Thematic session: Innovative practices to engage SMEs and use digital technology in apprenticeships (EN, FR)
- Global Opening – Tech Fair (EN, FR, AR, ES)
- Thematic sessions on: “Tech solutions for the development of digital and soft skills” and “Tech solutions for the development of technical skills” (EN, FR, ES)
- Presentation of potential partnerships (EN, FR, AR, ES)
- Thematic sessions on: “Tech solutions for job matching” and “Tech solutions for e-Governance” (EN, FR, ES)
Exhibition Booths and Tech Fair content available here.
