Video: 1st Skills Challenge Innovation Call winner is on track for success
Video: 1st Skills Challenge Innovation Call winner is on track for success
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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
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.
Other knowledge products
The Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe, winner of the 1st ILO Skills Challenge Innovation Call, has now progressed with refined solutions, action plans and a building, where the innovation starts and flourish.
Over the past six months, the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe (DWAZ), winner of the 1st ILO Skills Challenge Innovation Call, has received the support of the ILO to achieve its long-standing objective: realize decent work for domestic workers by providing them with a space to gain necessary skills to excel in their careers. DWAZ has now progressed with refined solutions, action plans and a building, where the innovation starts and flourish.
Upon winning the competitive call in September 2020, DWAZ was invited to the Skills Innovation Lab to refine, prototype and develop the proposed solution. They benefitted from the participation and contributions of over 25 experts in skills development and domestic workers, as well as ILO Constituents, other UN agencies, research institutions, academic and implementing partners, local partners, and potential beneficiaries.
With the unexpected outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, not only the awarded idea but also the co-development process to realize the idea has been unprecedentedly innovative. During the innovation bootcamp in November 2020, DWAZ and experts actively exchanged and developed their ideas through video calls, digital mind maps, and virtual break out rooms.
Having secured a suitable building to establish the Centre, the project is now accelerated to develop a formal training for domestic workers, often from rural parts of the country, in modern and urban home settings – to improve their employability and realise decent work through addressing the skills mismatch in the domestic work profession.
