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Skills development to enhance employability is an area of vital importance to countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Many of the countries are finding it increasingly difficult to respond to the skills needs of their workforce in a time of increasing globalization, new technology and changing patterns of work. Some of the countries have severe shortages of skilled labour due to the out-migration of skilled workers, an ageing workforce or simply the lack of capacity to provide training. Training programmes are often out of date and do not meet the needs of industry. Training that is available is not always equally available to all sectors of the community. There are many challenges on the skills issues in the region. Many of these include national skills development system, linkages between employers and training organizations, skills mismatch, training and job creation for young people, and access to skills development and employment of people with disabilities, etc.
Governments, employers’ associations and trade unions in the region are working to improve the quality and relevance of training and employment services in order to improve the employability of workers and the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises. Within this context, the Country Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia is helping to provide solutions to many skills development issues through policy advice, technical assistance and knowledge development. All these measures aim to help constituents:
- 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;
- 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 employment while at the same time contributing to poverty reduction; and
- improve the ability of public employment services to provide career guidance, labour exchange services, delivery of active labour market programmes, and rapid response services in the aftermath of crises.
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