Green Jobs Training Programme successfully launched in South Africa
The Government of South Africa has identified the transition to a green economy as a key policy area due to its potential to stimulate economic growth and create sustainable jobs.
More than 30 officials from different national Departments have enhanced their understanding of the employment dimension of a Green Economy during a training course on “Green Jobs for Sustainable Development: Concepts and Practices“ at DBSA’s Vulindlela Academy between 24 and 28 November 2014.
The event was the first of a series of four training sessions for officials from national and provincial departments as well as civil society and the private sector.
The programme – a partnership between the Department of Environmental Affairs, Green Fund, Development Bank of Southern Africa and the International Labour Organization - will be implemented over two years from 2014 to 2015.
The Government of South Africa has identified the transition to a green economy as a key policy area due to its potential to stimulate economic growth and create sustainable jobs.
Despite the existence of a highly conducive green economy policy landscape there remains the need to further develop the capacity of key stakeholders to implement activities targeted at green jobs creation and to ensure that the labour market responds to the skills demands emerging in a greener economy.
To respond to this need, the Green Fund managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa , under its Capacity Development funding window and in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO) conceived a comprehensive in-country training programme to strengthen the institutional capacity of national and provincial Governments, civil society organisations and the private sector in South Africa to make national-level and sector- specific green jobs promotion policies actionable.
A series of four training sessions and adjacent learning advisory services have been designed to provide stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to assess green jobs potential, devise appropriate policies and strategies, discuss investments and technology options, implement strategies, and monitor and evaluate progress towards job creation in the green economy.
Between 24 and 28 November 2014 a first group of more than 30 representatives from key national departments and institutions were trained at the DBSA’s Vulindlela Academy on the concepts and practices for green jobs promotion.
International experts from ILO’s Green Jobs Programme in Geneva, the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin,
ILO’s Decent Work Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa as well specialists from the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Industrial Development Corporation shared insights into the global debate and theories underpinning Green Jobs, systematic approaches to Green Jobs creation and the framework for employment creation in South Africa’s transition to a greener development path.
To foster trainees understanding of the application of Green Jobs concepts, the group was further exposed to a sectoral approach for employment promotion during a site visit to the new, green building of the Department of Environmental Affairs in Pretoria.
In 2015, dedicated training sessions will be held for provincial government representatives as well as key stakeholders in the waste management sector and those involved in natural resource management.
For enhanced sustainability of the interventions and to establish a Community of Practice on green jobs promotion in South Africa, the face-to-face trainings will be complemented by an online e-campus that will allow participants to exchange and interact beyond the classroom training.
The event was the first of a series of four training sessions for officials from national and provincial departments as well as civil society and the private sector.
The programme – a partnership between the Department of Environmental Affairs, Green Fund, Development Bank of Southern Africa and the International Labour Organization - will be implemented over two years from 2014 to 2015.
The Government of South Africa has identified the transition to a green economy as a key policy area due to its potential to stimulate economic growth and create sustainable jobs.
Despite the existence of a highly conducive green economy policy landscape there remains the need to further develop the capacity of key stakeholders to implement activities targeted at green jobs creation and to ensure that the labour market responds to the skills demands emerging in a greener economy.
To respond to this need, the Green Fund managed by the Development Bank of Southern Africa , under its Capacity Development funding window and in collaboration with the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO) conceived a comprehensive in-country training programme to strengthen the institutional capacity of national and provincial Governments, civil society organisations and the private sector in South Africa to make national-level and sector- specific green jobs promotion policies actionable.
A series of four training sessions and adjacent learning advisory services have been designed to provide stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to assess green jobs potential, devise appropriate policies and strategies, discuss investments and technology options, implement strategies, and monitor and evaluate progress towards job creation in the green economy.
Between 24 and 28 November 2014 a first group of more than 30 representatives from key national departments and institutions were trained at the DBSA’s Vulindlela Academy on the concepts and practices for green jobs promotion.
International experts from ILO’s Green Jobs Programme in Geneva, the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin,
ILO’s Decent Work Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa as well specialists from the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Industrial Development Corporation shared insights into the global debate and theories underpinning Green Jobs, systematic approaches to Green Jobs creation and the framework for employment creation in South Africa’s transition to a greener development path.
To foster trainees understanding of the application of Green Jobs concepts, the group was further exposed to a sectoral approach for employment promotion during a site visit to the new, green building of the Department of Environmental Affairs in Pretoria.
In 2015, dedicated training sessions will be held for provincial government representatives as well as key stakeholders in the waste management sector and those involved in natural resource management.
For enhanced sustainability of the interventions and to establish a Community of Practice on green jobs promotion in South Africa, the face-to-face trainings will be complemented by an online e-campus that will allow participants to exchange and interact beyond the classroom training.