Contact us

Skills and Employability Branch (SKILLS)
Employment Policy Department

International Labour Office 4 Route des Morillons

Geneva 22
Switzerland
CH-1211

Tel : +41 22 799 7512
Fax : +41 22 799 6310
Email : skills@ilo.org
Website : www.ilo.org/skills

Recent publications and reports

  1. Lifelong Learning in the Informal Economy: A Literature Review

    This literature review aims to provide an update to current debates on how to bridge the gap for informal economy workers to access and participate in relevant and quality skills development and recognition throughout their lives, identifies research gaps and provides recommendations for future programming.

  2. Skills for a greener future: a global view

    The first global report on the implications of the transition to low-carbon and resource-efficient economies for skills, gender and occupations.

  3. Apprenticeships

    ILO Toolkit for Quality Apprenticeships - Vol. 1: Guide for Policy Makers

    The ILO Toolkit for Quality Apprenticeships provides a comprehensive but concise set of key information, guidance and practical tools for policy-makers and practitioners who are engaged in designing and implementing Quality Apprenticeships

  4. Skills and jobs mismatches in low- and middle-income countries

    This publication reviews literature and produces new analysis using data on educational mismatch from 60 low- and middle-income countries, assessing the extent to which mismatch is correlated with factors such as productivity, labour force participation, unemployment and informality.

Events

  1. Skills Challenge Call winner announcement

    Skills for a Resilient Youth in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond

    15 July

  2. Event

    ILO webinar on Innovations and Strategies for Quality Apprenticeships

    10 July 2020

  3. E-Discussion

    Continuing online learning and skills development in times of the COVID-19 crisis

    27 March - 17 April

Skills and Employability Branch (SKILLS)

Governments, employers' associations and trade unions around the world are working to improve the employability of workers, move young people into productive and decent work, and increase the productivity of enterprises through better quality and relevant training. The Skills and Employability Branch conducts comparative research and provides policy guidelines and technical assistance to help constituents integrate skills development into national and sector development strategies.

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

  1. Winner announcement

    Results of the ILO Skills Challenge Innovation Call

    The winner will be announced on 15 July during a virtual event in celebration of World Youth Skills Day.
    The best 10 ideas (two per region) will be announced on 14 July.

  2. Podcast

    Global challenges, Global solutions: The skills challenge in the time of COVID-19

    In this interview, ILO Senior Skills and Employability Specialist Ashwani Aggarwal discusses the new world of on-line learning and e-training that is taking shape, and some of the challenges that have emerged.

  3. Policy Brief

    Distance and online learning during the time of the COVID-19

    This brief reflects on some innovative solutions being adopted in technical and vocational education and training (TVET).

  4. Skills partnerships on migration

    The ILO conducted 13 country studies and 2 sub-regional studies identifying the potential for skills partnerships on migration between different countries and key skills stakeholders.

  5. Project

    The 1st ILO Skills Challenge Innovation Call draws 473 applications from nearly 100 countries

    The first Skills Challenge Innovation Call will recognize and support the development of solutions that aim to address the different forms and dimensions of skills mismatch.

  6. The continuity of an impactful partnership ILO-Norway PCA 2020-21

    A total of 362,075 people have benefited from the Programme’s activities and now a new phase is about to start.

  7. Article

    What is skills mismatch and why should we care?

    A key question to ensure a decent future of work

  8. 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.