Skills for EmploymentCIDA Policy context and Programming guidelines

ACCC Forum–Edmonton, June 4 2011

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Presentation on Skills for Employment at CIDA

• Part 1. CIDA Policy context: Thematic priority: Stimulating sustainable economic

growthLinks to thematic priority: Securing the future of

children and youth• Part 2. CIDA Skills for Employment programming

guidelines• Part 3. Skills for Employment programming at

CIDA

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Part 1. CIDA Policy context

• CIDA has three thematic priorities: -Increasing food security; -Securing the future of children and youth; -Stimulating sustainable economic growth.• Stimulating sustainable economic growth priority has

three paths: -Building economic foundations-Growing businesses-Investing in people• Skills for Employment programming falls under path

“Investing in people”

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CIDA Policy context: link to “Securing the future of children and youth”

Securing the future of children and youth has three paths: -access to a quality education;-child survival, including maternal, newborn and child health;-safe and secure futures for children and youth;Skills for Employment falls under Sustainable economic growth

but is linked to access to quality education, in particular to “support learning opportunities and life skills training for youth, in and out of school”

Skills for Employment programming is often focused on youth as a target group, and generally involves training institutions that provide educational services

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Part 2. CIDA Skills for Employment (SFE) Programming guidelines

Skills for Employment (not using term “TVET”)• Goes beyond formal technical and vocational

education and training• Includes knowledge, skills and competencies gained

in schools and in the workplace• Includes short and longer-term training programs• Focuses on young people and adult workers and

recognizes the critical importance of life-long learning

• As the names indicates, puts a strong emphasis on finding employment after skills training

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Elements of Effective SFE programming

• 11 elements

• Based on best practices and lessons learned internationally and at CIDA

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• Reflect CIDA’s vision of demand-driven, sustainable, equitable SFE

1. Economic and policy environments

• What is needed:o A stable economic environment o A sound investment climateo Well-functioning financial institutions o Relatively efficient labour markets

• First steps could include: o Realistic labour market analysiso Building capacity to interpret datao Development of sound SFE policies and frameworks

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2. Demand-driven, flexible programming

• Sound SFE programs are:o Responsive to demands of local or national labour

marketso Able to adapt to changes in technology

• There will be a need to:o Strengthen links among government ministries,

business, labour and training programso Build capacity to analyze and disseminate labour market

informationo Ensure flexibility of SFE programming

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3. Involvement of the private sector

• Involvement of the private sector is critical• Industry associations, business, small and medium

enterprises, labour organizations can: o Deliver training programso Help to identify emerging market needso Provide valuable input into:

o policy developmento competencieso curriculum design and deliveryo training standards

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4. Financial resources

• SFE programs are often expensive• Funding must support:

o Curriculum o Teacher trainingo Equipment and materialso Facilities (learning sites)

• What is needed:o long-term, sustainable funding that is used efficientlyo Capacity building in financial planning and managemento Possibility of funding sources outside of government

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5. Quality and relevance

• Critical to strong SFE enrolment and completion rates

• Considerations to ensure quality:o Staff qualifications and competencieso Curriculum review, development and

implementation processeso A focus on transferable skillso Incorporation of life skillso Public-private partnerships

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6. SFE and the informal economy

• Largest employer in developing countries, particularly of women

• Working conditions can be poor, productivity low, and incomes inadequate

• The challenges include:o The need for basic numeracy, literacy and life skills in

addition to technical skillso Resistance to formalizationo Strengthening informal apprenticeship systems

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7. Gender issues in SFE programming

• Barriers to women’s participation in SFE remain

• What is needed:o Proactive , comprehensive

SFE gender equality policies and plans

o Strategies to make SFE programs more welcoming to women

o Strategies to open non-traditional occupations to women

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8. The special needs of youth

• Youth may make up over 30% of population at the global level

• Youth have longer periods of unemployment and low-skilled work

• Considerations:o The need to build literacy, numeracy and life skillso A focus on transferable and entrepreneurial skillso Flexible timing, short duration courseso Programs for child labourerso Support entry into the formal education system

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9. SFE in rural areas

• 70% of poor live in rural areas

• Many depend on subsistence agriculture

• SFE may focus on:o Increasing productivityo Opportunities for off-

farm employment o Entrepreneurship

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10. Access for marginalized groups

• Basic principles apply, but specific strategies are needed for:

o Indigenous peoples

o People with disabilities

o People living with the impact of HIV/AIDSo People living in post-conflict or fragile states, including

demobilized soldiers

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11. Environmental sustainability

• Environmental sustainability is a cross-cutting issue for CIDA

• Considerations:– The possibility of a focus on “green jobs”– The use of new agricultural technologies in rural areas– The need for SFE programs to raise awareness of

environmental issues.

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Part 3. Skills for Employment programming at CIDA• Increasing level of programming in Skills for Employment• Major programs:-Education for Employment in Africa (Tanzania, Senegal,

Mozambique)-Education for Employment in the Caribbean region-Education for Employment in the Andean region (Colombia,

Peru, Bolivia) –proposal under review-CANADO project in Haiti-Bilateral programming planned or implemented in

Morocco, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Cuba and other countries

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Key points of presentation

• CIDA’s policy framework articulates skills training as “Skills for Employment” and links it to sustainable economic growth;

• The 11 programming guidelines for Skills for Employment provide clear guidance to programs in the field;

• Skills for Employment is a priority for the Agency and programming is increasing in our 20 focus countries

Odette Langlais, Education SpecialistEmail: Odette.Langlais@acdi-cida.gc.ca

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