Amman, Jordan - December 10, 2018 - The ILO’s Applying the G20 Training Strategy: A Partnership of the ILO and the Russian Federation (Phase 2) project held a one day workshop in coordination with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), where thirty different national and international non-governmental organizations (I/NGOs), as well as public and private training providers, discussed possible solutions to harmonize the delivery of on–the-job training (OJT) in Jordan.

The workshop was designed as a response to the concern over a lack of harmonization across training practices in Jordan, which was previously formulated during a series of focus group discussions involving the participating I/NGOs, and led by the ILO. The activity sought to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) to be adopted by training institutions across the Kingdom, with the aim of improving job placement and employment rates.

During this event, attendees shared their concerns regarding the lack of coordination between organizations that currently provide vocational training to Syrian refugees and Jordanians. It was expressed that the work of these organization hasresulted in what they called "repetitive training programs”, in turn leading to sub-optimal labor market outcomes.

As a response to this issue, the workshop sought to first identify whether participating entities were designing training programs that deliver on-the-job training. Working groups also reflected on their current on–the-job training practices, with a specific focus on the reasons and justification behind their chosen training methods and tools, the programs design, planning, and delivery phases, , as well as the challenges facing participating entities.

A number of recommendations to streamline incentives for both employers and trainees were formulated. They included harmonizing and increasing collaboration between partners and and coordination between training institutions; stakeholders’ engagement prior to the training design and delivery phases; focusing on the training of vulnerable groups, particularly those who need specific accommodations to increase their mobility (such as refugees residing in distant camps like Zaatari, or people with disabilities); widening the age of target populations; and raising awareness on issues around sex and gender-based violence (S/GBV).

Participants also agreed to draft SOPs to be discussed in an upcoming validation workshop, scheduled to be held by the ILO and UNHCR, with the participation of the international and local NGOs.

For more information on our work, please visit the Project webpage: www.ilo.org/g20ts