Background
Skills recognition and qualifications reform have dominated national international debates on training and skills development in recent years. And most countries have limited capacities in recognizing skills and even more importantly, work experience which were not acquired in formal training institutions. This leaves the workforce with limited recognition of their competencies, given that workplace related experience or non-formal training are not being adequately assessed. Consequently, the transfer of learning between formal training institutions and the workplace becomes difficult.
Lack of systematic and inclusive skills recognition through transparent mechanisms for the assessment of structured workplace training and experience are further complicated in the case of international migration, as there are no commonly agreed frameworks or standards to facilitate recognition across countries. The major challenge in qualifications reforms therefore is to develop a system that is more inclusive, flexible, accessible and transparent, yet does not undermine its quality and credibility.
Against this background the ILO and HRD Korea, as a part of their long-lasting ILO/KOREA partnership, started a programme on skills recognition of migrant workers in 2006. Over the years, the ILO provided assistance to member states on skills standards, while holding national and regional training workshops in 2006, 2007 and 2008. The outcomes of these workshops included Regional Model Competency Standards (RMCS) for different sectors, which serve as guidance for simplified skills recognition and assessment at the national level and for the Asian Region.
During the meeting in 2008, participants discussed the following priority areas which need to be addressed so that skills recognition for migrant workers could become effective:
- Pre-departure training should include assessment and collecting evidence of existing competencies and work experience.
- Receiving countries should clearly specify skills requirements of workers.
- Required competencies, working experience, qualifications and skills training should be provided by receiving countries and incorporated in contracts by the receiving country;
- Employers in the receiving country should assist workers in recording skills and experiences they obtained during their assignment;
- Skills recognition processes should be clear, easily understandable and available at a low cost to workers;
- Information should be provided about the receiving country, including information on labour laws, safety, required equipment, health care, job security, social benefits, medical leave etc.
Participants from Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam developed strategic plans to adapt the RMCS and improve their mechanisms for assessment of skills and working experience for returning workers. This included defining responsibilities and roles, time frames for the introduction of skills assessment and making changes to skills training, where required, prior to migrant workers leaving their country. The plans also identified ways how each country could improve migrant workers’ statistics.
Objective:
The ILO SKILLS-AP and the ILO/Korea Partnership Programme plan a regional follow up workshop in Bangkok on 15th-16th September 2010. This workshop will further discuss the applicability of the simplified RMCS and draft guidelines on how skills recognition of returning workers can be managed and organized. Emphasis will be put on assessment of returning migrant workers. The expected outcome includes the finalisation of these guidelines on organization and management of skills recognition and assessment of returning workers and relevant process and procedures.
Specific outputs and outcomes of the workshop
It is expected that, noting the inclusion of the editing amendments proposed during the workshop, all participants will agree on the draft guidelines and that the process will assist countries to promote and further strengthen mechanisms and systems for assessment and skills recognition of returning migrant workers back in their countries. It is further expected that the discussions in this workshop will contribute to the finalisation of the guidelines, which are distributed in advance and provide the background document for this workshop. The revised guidelines will be published and will include recommendations for governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations, indicating how they can be proactively involved in developing and strengthening assessment and skills recognition systems, which will not only help returning migrants but will also help others in need of skills recognition.
The structure of the workshop
The workshop will have a number of technical sessions, comprising of introduction of materials and draft guidelines, panel discussions and technical working group sessions to ensure a participatory approach. Chairing responsibilities for technical sessions will be shared among participants.
Participants
Constituents from seven sending countries will be invited: Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. Government participants will be senior level staff of the national vocational education and training organizations involved in the management of the national skills recognition and standards system. Representatives of workers’ and employers’ organizations dealing with this subject will also be invited to participate and share their experience. The participation of women in the workshop is strongly encouraged.
Country Papers
Government participants, in collaboration with their social partners, will be requested to prepare a brief paper for the workshop and make a 15-minutes presentation which is based on the country paper. The length of the paper should be no more than 15 pages, A4 and single-spaced. The paper should very briefly describe:
- The background of the agency/institution and data on the number of migrant workers, their profile and destination countries.
- The national skills standards, recognition and assessment system, and how this applies to migrant workers both prior to their departure and on return.
- Ongoing efforts, which aim at improvement of skills recognition and quality of assessments in collaboration with employment agencies, employers and workers (innovative case studies).
- Some mapping of the preparation process, including any training or briefing programmes for migrant workers before they leave their home country is welcome.
- Financing
- The paper should include an update on implementation of their country action plans agreed at the meeting in 2008.
Papers and presentations should be specially prepared for this workshop. It is not necessary to describe the national system in detail. Papers should cover the issues listed above and should highlight support provided, where available for people with a disability.
Contact Address:
Ms. Sandra Rothboeck
Specialist on Skills and Employability
ILO Decent Work Technical Support Team
for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific
E-mail
Ms. Wipusara RUGWORAKIJKUL
Programme Officer, ILO SKILLS-AP
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
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