Skills for the strategic development of the IT sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The project implemented by the ILO “Transformative recovery for building back better: Skills for the strategic development of the IT sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina“, seeks to analyze skills deficits in the IT Sector in the country and to identify strategic interventions to address those deficits.

The IT sector is one of the fastest growing industries in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and yet, the country lags behind other Western Balkan countries in establishing itself as an IT hub, due to the lack of qualified workforce that would reflect the needs of the labour market. The COVID-19 pandemic has additionally underlined the existing skills deficits. This project aims to assess the skill deficits, and to contribute to the strategic development of human resources in the IT Sector. This will be done by applying the ILO’s STED methodology (Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification).

The project is expected to deliver the following: 
  • A diagnostic background study
  • A sector-skills development plan
STED (Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification) is an ILO methodology that applies a diagnostic outlook to explore existing capacity gaps and future skills shortages of an industry/sector. It takes a forward-looking perspective to anticipate growth opportunities and competitiveness. Based on this, it identifies priority areas for the strategic development of human resources within the sector, culminating in a sector skills development plan. Outcomes of a STED exercise are concrete recommendations at policy, institutional, curriculum and enterprise level. Recommendations may include action targeted at the training of VET (Vocational Education and Training) and university students, as well as workers in companies.