Skills and Employability Department (EMP/SKILLS)
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EMP/SKILLS

Contact us

  1. Skills and Employability Department (EMP/SKILLS)
    Employment Sector
    International Labour Office 4 Route des Morillons
    Geneva 22
    CH-1211
    Switzerland
    Tel:+41.22.799.7512
    Fax:+41.22.799.6310
    Website:www.ilo.org/skills

Skills and Employability Department (EMP/SKILLS)

Governments, employers’ associations and trade unions around the world 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.

The Skills and Employability Department helps member States and the social partners apply the policy recommendations arrived at through tripartite consultations on skills development within the Decent Work agenda (see Key Resources) to their circumstances and priorities. Comparative research, policy guidelines and technical assistance 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.
Whether dealing with the present global economic turmoil or addressing long-term inequality and poverty, promoting skills development furthers the ILO’s Global Employment Agenda for decent and productive work for all.

What's new

  1. Responding to worker displacement: A collection of case studies
    26 September 2013

  2. Feasibility study for a global business network on apprenticeship
    26 September 2013

  3. Event

    ILO High-Level Panel on Skills for Competitiveness
    9 July 2013

    The ILO hosted a high-level side event on 'Skills for Competitiveness' at the WTO Fourth Global Review of Aid for Trade on 9 July in Geneva. The event provided an opportunity to share research findings and policy approaches on the role of skills development in translating trade openness into sustainable growth of productive and decent work.

  4. Launch

    Skills for Employment Global Public-Private Knowledge Sharing Platform
    18 June 2013

    Questions and answers on the new online platform for accessing credible sources of information on what works to promote skills development.

  5. Event

    Web Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities: The Benefits for Business
    4 February 2013

    Tuesday, 12 February 2013 - Webinar convened by the ILO, the UN Global Compact Office and G3ICT

  6. Overview of Apprenticeship Systems and Issues

    ILO contribution to the G20 Task Force on Employment

  7. International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3 December 2012

    This year’s theme is “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all”.

  8. Achieving equal employment opportunities for persons with disabilities through legislation (Online Guide)

    This resource guide will help educators and trainers equip policymakers, legislators, social partners, individuals with disabilities and other key individuals to achieve a positive legislative impact.

  9. Employers make the case for hiring people with disabilities

    ILC Special Session on the ILO Business and Disability Network

  10. Research Briefs

  11. 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.

  12. Skills for Green Jobs. A global view

    This volume examines the experiences of 21 developed and developing countries in adjusting their training provision to meet the new demands of a greener economy.

Key resources

  1. A Skilled Workforce for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth
    22 February 2011

    A G20 Training Strategy

  2. Conclusions on skills for improved productivity, employment growth and development
    13 June 2008

    International Labour Conference, 2008

  3. Report V - Skills for improved productivity, employment growth and development
    15 April 2008

  4. R195 Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004
    17 June 2004

    Recommendation concerning Human Resources Development: Education, Training and Lifelong Learning

  5. C159 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons) Convention, 1983
    20 June 1983

    Convention concerning Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Disabled Persons)
    (Note: Date of coming into force: 06/20/1985.)

  6. C88 Employment Service Convention, 1948
    09 July 1948

    Convention concerning the Organisation of the Employment Service
    (Note: Date of coming into force: 08/10/1950.)

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