Events – Skills for green jobs workshop in Egypt – The case of composting and renewable energy

Background

Greening economic sectors has economic, social, and environmental dividends if tackled the right way. Natural resource scarcity, environmental pollution, and desertification are phenomena well known in Egypt (National Environmental Action Plan (2002-2017). Against popular belief, reducing pollution, restoring environmental quality, enhancing efficiency and replacing non-renewable resources by renewable ones has a great potential to act as job motor and spur economic development.

Job creation potential is particularly strong when dealing with untapped resources such as organic waste, solar power and wind. Organic waste can be converted into natural fertilizers, and produce biogas for combustion and power generation. Egypt currently suffers from a shortage of production capacity for compost, so economic opportunities are evident. Renewable energy can replace highly subsidized conventional energy sources. In addition, renewable energy offers viable solutions at decentralized level, such as through home-based solar water heaters. The national target of satisfying 20% of the country’s energy demand from renewable resources by 2020 is a strong political signal.

Transitions to a greener economy do not happen automatically. Political frameworks and sound institutional set-ups need to be in place to ensure that markets can develop, innovation takes place and that technologies are adapted, adopted and implemented to the benefit of local labour markets.

Experience in many countries has shown that skills bottlenecks can be a serious roadblock to green transitions, and to national labour markets benefiting from it. Skills shortages have been particularly severe in fast growing sectors such as renewable energies, and international import of skilled workers has become common practice in light of severe skills gaps of local recruits. Yet skills development has also shown to be a critical driver of change in its own right, by triggering green investment, and enabling sustainable solutions to enter markets at competitive prices. Environmental awareness on the consumer side is equally important to support green transitions and support markets that in the end create new jobs. Education and training play a critical role for successful transitions towards green growth.

Objectives of the workshop

The workshop aims at initiating a process for the development of a vision, strategy and action plan for composting and renewable energy, with a special focus on skills policies and programmes to support sector growth.

The following questions will be discussed:

• How many people are currently working in composting and renewable energy?
• What is the job creation potential in the two sectors?
• Are skill shortages holding back sector development? If so, in which areas?
• What are other barriers to sector development, in particular with regard to financial and policy frameworks?
• What is needed to stimulate sector growth and develop the required skills?

The workshop will bring together decision-makers and experts from concerned ministries, industry, academia, civil society and worker representatives.

Organizing partners

• International Labour Organization (ILO)

The ILO has launched the Green Jobs Initiative as a partnership between the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), and the International Employers Organization (IEO) in 2008. In cooperation with the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), the ILO has conducted policy applied research into skill needs for greener economies in 21 countries, including in Egypt, and published the global synthesis report in 2011 Skills for green jobs: A global view. In 2012, the Green Jobs Initiative published Working towards sustainable development: Opportunities for decent work and social inclusion in a green economy, an update of the 2008 UNEP/ILO/ITUC/IOE Green Jobs Report, describing the labour market implications of greener economies and the job potential that transitions entail. The CIDA funded Decent Jobs for Youth in Egypt project implemented by the ILO aims to create job opportunities for youth in an environmentally sustainable way and thus supports this workshop to inform regional action plans on youth employment and the project’s overall implementation strategy.

• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fu¨r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is implementing programs and projects in Egypt on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Climate and environmental protection with a focus on the promotion of renewable energies and energy efficiency is one of the priority areas for GIZ in Egypt. As part of a strong commitment for youth employment and to provide effective support to the post-revolution transition in Egypt, GIZ’s “Green Jobs Initiative” includes three project packages, which objective is to promote the establishment of environmentally relevant jobs and corresponding qualification offers in formal as well as informal education segments. In close cooperation with its Egyptian partner organisations, a variety of trainings are offered in the fields of green building, renewable energy and water management. Those trainings are designed according to the detected employment potential and qualification need in the Egyptian labor market. Additionally, innovation hubs, such as icecairo, are also set up in order to accelerate green entrepreneurship and the spread of available green technologies in Egypt. icecairo as a green technology innovation hub is part of the emerging ice (innovation – collaboration – entrepreneurship) network of technology innovation hubs, currently implemented in Ethiopia, Egypt and Germany. Like its sister-hubs, icecairo provides shared workspace and training for individuals with innovative ideas, working on local solutions to local as well as global challenges.

For further information please contact:

Decent Jobs for Egypt's Young People Project
ILO DWT/CO- Cairo
Project Office: 15 Dr. Taha Hussein St.
Zamalek, Cairo
Egypt
Tel. + 202 - 27350123
Fax. +202 - 27360889
Email