Skills and Employability Branch (SKILLS)
The ILO's work with constituents focuses primarily on three areas: linking training to current labour market needs as well as anticipating and building competencies for the jobs of the future; building quality apprenticeship systems and incorporating core skills into training for young people; and expanding access to employment-related training in rural communities in order to improve livelihoods, reduce poverty, and equip women and men to work in the formal economy.
What's new
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Concept Paper
Lifelong learning: Concepts, issues and actions
Lifelong Learning is emerging as a key policy issue as we move towards a future of work that continues to challenge traditional views about careers and labour market transitions. Following the landmark report of the ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work, many questions have been raised about the concept of LLL itself, the issues that surround it and the actions that the ILO can take to address it. This paper introduces readers to these debates and provides a useful introduction to the concept and the challenges that need to be addressed if the vision for LLL of the Global Commission can be achieved.
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Flyer
Lifelong learning and the future of work: Challenges and opportunities
This flyer aims to raise awareness on the concept of lifelong learning. It also provides insights on to whom does lifelong learning apply as well as on the role governments, employers and workers play in supporting lifelong learning goals.
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Policy Brief
Quality Apprenticeships: Addressing skills mismatch and youth unemployment
This policy brief presents an overview of quality apprenticeships promoted by the ILO through outlining their key characteristics, benefits and challenges, as well as examining the building blocks and policy pointers for developing a successful quality apprenticeship system.
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Event
Boosting Skills for a Just Transition and the Future of Work - 6 June, 2019
ILO Global Forum on a Just Transition towards Environmentally Sustainable Economies and Societies for All. The Forum will present the results of the research project conducted in 31 countries.
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A joint ILO/IOE publication
Tools for Quality Apprenticeships: a Guide for Enterprises
This guide aims to show, through actual examples which are used day in and day out by employers in the real world, how enterprises manage the various processes which need to be undertaken to deliver a successful apprenticeship programme.
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Video
Lifelong learning and skills development: Interview with Sir Alan Tuckett, OBE
In this interview, Sir Alan Tuckett, adult education specialist and campaigner, explains what is meant by lifelong learning and the role the ILO and its partners play in managing lifelong learning systems.
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Brochure
Skills and Employability
This brochure provides an overview of the main areas of work of the Skills and Employability Branch of the Employment Policy Department.
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A joint ILO/UNESCO report
Taking a whole of government approach to skills development
The publication focuses primarily on the interaction between government ministries and agencies at national and subnational levels, examining how governments can work to coordinate technical and vocational education and development (TVET) and skills development across relevant policy domains.
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Issue Brief 8
Skills policies and systems for a future workforce
This Issue Brief is part of the Future of Work briefs prepared by the ILO. It provides an overview of skills requirements for the future of work and considers how skills development systems might be transformed to meet these needs. The brief also raises questions about the financing of lifelong learning, as well as about the respective responsibilities of governments, enterprises and workers.
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Skills for Employment Policy Briefs
Policy Briefs in the series are authored by the technical specialists of the Skills and Employability Department and aim to present a short overview of particular areas related to skills development, policies and systems, and training.
Recent publications
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Working Paper
Does work-based learning facilitate transitions to decent work?
This paper examines the different forms of work-based learning, and takes stock of available data on the labour market impact such schemes where they exist. It finds evidence of positive impacts of formal structured work-based learning, and argues that future efforts should encourage engagement with private sector firms in creating and expanding such structured opportunities for young people.
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Skill needs anticipation
Systems and approaches - Analysis of stakeholder survey on skill needs assessment and anticipation
This publication is joint publication of the ILO, the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop), the European Training Foundation (ETF) and the OECD.
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Apprenticeships
A step-by-step guide to promote quality apprenticeships
This publication was developed as part of the project entitled "EC-ILO action on youth employment policies: Enhancing capabilities of practitioners to design, implement and monitor youth employment policies - under the Council Recommendation on establishing a Youth Guarantee".
Events
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Event
The 4th Regional Skills Technical Working Group (RSTWG) Meeting
10-11 July, Manila Philippines
The meeting aims to facilitate greater understanding of the evolving context of the mutual recognition of skills (MRS) implementation, and the sharing of experiences in a strengthening of the legislative framework and institutional capacity and arrangements of the MRS, among others.
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Event
International Conference on Innovations in Apprenticeships: A skilled workforce for the Future
4-5 July
The ILO, in collaboration with the OECD and the GAN will organise the conference to share and promote innovative approaches to apprenticeships responding to contemporary challenges and provide opportunities to deepen collaboration among key actors of apprenticeships at global, regional and national levels.