The Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Skills convened a Technical meeting on the establishment of the Sector Skills Body in the Agro-processing Sector
12 December 2023
On 7 December 2023, with the support of ILO ProAgro Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Ministry of Labour and Skills (MoLS) started the process of establishing the Sectoral Skills Council (SSC) in the Agro-processing Sector by convening a high-level technical working group that will provide technical guidance and coordination support to the development of the first sectoral skills body in the agro-processing sector. Members are drawn from Government Ministries, the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions (CETU), the Ethiopian Employers Federations, development partners GIZ, and the Private Sector. Affirming the importance of the SSC and its contribution to quality skills development and occupational standards, Senior Advisor to the Minister on Skills Hon Azmera Kebede indicated that standardizing the sector skill is a priority of the Ministry. He added that this venture will strengthen the growth of the private sector through the development of quality skills to meet industry needs while creating better jobs for youth and women. He explained that Private Sector engagement is crucial for sustainability but regretted that the Ethiopia Private Sector remains fragmented and called on the ILO and other partners in the sector skills initiative to consider building the capacity of the employers’ federations to be more proactive. He also indicated that the setting up of the Sector Skills Council (SSC) has been overdue and that the Ministry needs a body to guide further intra-sectoral institutional mechanisms, including the appropriate occupational training and certifications.
The Technical Group is guided by Terms of Reference with specific responsibilities to facilitate sectoral consultations, engage private sectors and training institutions, and develop criteria for relevant institutional mandates.
ProAgro Ethiopia is funding the SSC initiative on behalf of the ILO Ethiopia Office to serve as an entry point for coordinated engagements with the Government and a harmonized approach to Skills and Employability programming. ProAgro Ethiopia has also facilitated extensive exposure for Ethiopia's Ministry of Labour and Skills, Ministry of Industry, and the social partners to India, and South Africa under ILO South-South Technical Cooperation (SSTC) initiative in 2022 and 2023. In India, Ethiopian delegations interacted with the private sector to gain an understanding of the role played by the Indian private sector in SSCs. Again, in Pretoria, South Africa (31 July - 4 August 2023) the Ethiopian delegates participated in the Policy Dialogue on Quality Apprenticeships, and experience sharing on SSCs. They visited the South African sector skills bodies (Agri-SETA; Mining SETA, etc). These international exposures have contributed to a consensus on the need to pilot the SSC in the agro-processing sector to serve as a lesson for the establishment of other Sector Skills Bodies in Ethiopia.
The Technical Group is guided by Terms of Reference with specific responsibilities to facilitate sectoral consultations, engage private sectors and training institutions, and develop criteria for relevant institutional mandates.
ProAgro Ethiopia is funding the SSC initiative on behalf of the ILO Ethiopia Office to serve as an entry point for coordinated engagements with the Government and a harmonized approach to Skills and Employability programming. ProAgro Ethiopia has also facilitated extensive exposure for Ethiopia's Ministry of Labour and Skills, Ministry of Industry, and the social partners to India, and South Africa under ILO South-South Technical Cooperation (SSTC) initiative in 2022 and 2023. In India, Ethiopian delegations interacted with the private sector to gain an understanding of the role played by the Indian private sector in SSCs. Again, in Pretoria, South Africa (31 July - 4 August 2023) the Ethiopian delegates participated in the Policy Dialogue on Quality Apprenticeships, and experience sharing on SSCs. They visited the South African sector skills bodies (Agri-SETA; Mining SETA, etc). These international exposures have contributed to a consensus on the need to pilot the SSC in the agro-processing sector to serve as a lesson for the establishment of other Sector Skills Bodies in Ethiopia.