Aleppo, Syria (ILO News) The ILO held an introductory training for engineers in Syria on employment-intensive methods in construction works, as part of its emergency employment scheme, which will be implemented in Aleppo in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes.

Over forty engineers from the Order of Syrian Engineers and Architects (OSEA) took part in the training on ILO’s Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) approaches, which focused on planning, implementing and managing such programmes.

The training equipped engineers on ways to appraise the economic and technical feasibility of applying employment-intensive methods in construction works, carry out necessary assessments, establish cost estimates, and monitor implementation progress, costs and quality of works.

The same engineers took part in an ILO training earlier this month, which focused on Occupational Safety and Health in damage assessment, demolition, and rubble removal works, to strengthen preventive measures and promote a safe working environment for workers involved in the earthquake response and recovery operations.

They will work with the ILO on the implementation of an emergency employment scheme, using ILO’s employment-intensive approach. The work will include the removal of debris, repair of water sewage and water network points, as well as rehabilitation of pedestrian walkways.

The ILO’s employment-intensive approach, led by its Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP), links infrastructure programmes, with a view of creating as many new decent jobs as possible through the transfer of employment-intensive technologies. Through this approach, the ILO mainstreams decent work, including embedding fundamental principles and rights at work, such as Occupational Safety and Health practices.

Infrastructure works can be carried out using a wide variety of work methods and equipment. As a technical solution to creating and maintaining assets – as well as generating decent jobs and income – ILO/EIIP's strategy is to promote local resource-based (LRB) technologies in recovering infrastructure assets.

While maintaining cost competitiveness and engineering quality standards, LRB technologies use appropriate engineering and construction solutions that do not require highly specialized skills or equipment but favour technical solutions that as far as possible rely on locally available resources, and optimize employment and skills development opportunities for workers in need.