Inter-regional Technical Forum on Skills for Trade, Employability and Inclusive Growth
Inter-regional Technical Forum on Skills for Trade, Employability and Inclusive Growth
English
Bilateral organizations
The development agencies of many countries make skills development a pillar of their Official Development Assistance – from the perspective of education systems, employment promotion, poverty reduction, and private sector development. Documentation of their experience, evaluations and impact assessments, mission statements, and other knowledge products are made available through the Global KSP.
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
Career guidance and employment services
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.
Rural employment
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.
Sectoral approaches
Matching skills to labour market demand requires reliable sectoral and occupational information and institutions that connect employers with training providers. Sector based strategies and institutions have proved effective in engaging all stakeholders in promoting both pre-employment training and life-long learning.
Other knowledge products
This Inter-regional Technical Forum on Skills for Trade, Employability and Inclusive Growth brought together a broad spectrum of participants to share knowledge and lessons learned from implementing strategies for promoting skills development for trade, employability and inclusive growth. Presentation made during this event can be viewed by selecting "Event document - Programme agenda" from the right hand side of this page.
Globalization has driven significant economic development and diversification in sectors with potential for growth in productive and higher value-added jobs. Yet, it has also imposed challenges on enterprises seeking workers with the right skills, and on workers seeking the skills they need to match the demands of a rapidly changing labour market. Skills development has been instrumental in providing access to productive and decent employment and ensuring that no one is left behind. So how do we meet these challenges?
The Forum discussed these issues and highlighted experience gained in implementing the G20 Training Strategy on creating a skilled workforce for strong, sustainable and balanced growth. Pillars of successful training strategies for development identified by the G20 Training Strategy in 2010 include: anticipating future skills needs, participation of social partners and sectoral approaches, labour market information, broad access to training, among others.
Participants included development partners and donor agencies, government officials, representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations, education and training providers from countries targeted under ILO programmes and projects, and international organizations. They were provided with a unique opportunity to share knowledge gained and lessons learned about effective skills and employability strategies for strengthening the links between training and productive and decent work.
The Forum was organized through the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)–funded Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) programme, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) funded "Skills for Employment and Productivity in Low-Income countries" project.
