On 14 October, 2021, the ILO Office for Japan organized a virtual event, the “34th Symposium on International Labour Issues” with over 90 participants, in collaboration with the Ohara Institute of Social Studies, Hosei University. This symposium focused on the issue of skills and lifelong learning, which is one of the agendas of the second segment of the 109th ILC, to be held from 25 November to 11 December.
The Global Call to Action for a Human-Centred Recovery, which was adopted unanimously in the first part of the ILC this year calls for tripartite constituents to commit to “achieve a job-rich recovery” and “strengthen public and private investment in skills development and lifelong learning”.
In the keynote speech of “Sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and skills development – Reskilling / Upskilling”, Mr. Srinivas B Reddy, Branch Chief, Skills and Employability Branch, Employment Policy Department, ILO HQ stated that since the COVID-19 crisis, the global economy has plunged into the worst recession since World War II, moreover, that the economic crisis was also doubled by the worsening of the learning crisis. Skills loss will have scarring effects on employability, and is expected to increase inequality, fueling social unrest. The fact that the crisis has disproportionately affected the low-paid and the low‑skilled has shown that “skills” play an important role in individual economic resilience. According to the World Economic Forum, reskilling and upskilling of workforce has the potential to raise global GDP at least by US$ 6.6 trillion, boost productivity by 3 per cent and create 5.3 million net new jobs by 2030. He reaffirmed that skills development and lifelong learning should be a strategic area of investments, as was indicated in the ILO’s Centenary Declaration. For individuals, skills development helps their resilience against skill loss and preparedness for the future, and for enterprises, it supports their continuity and competitiveness through enhancing productivity and innovation. And for societies, it is essential for inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth. He emphasized that investing in skills and reshaping education and training are seen as critical elements of recovery measures across the world.
Dr. Miki Tsutsui, HOSEI University firstly raised the importance of understanding reskilling / upskilling from a human-centred perspective, based on the findings of the sociology of education and labour sociology. She discussed the issue by giving an example of the graduates of a high school, specifically designed to meet educational and social needs of students with various difficulties, facing challenges after starting working. She explained that the idea of a human-centred approach is for training institutions, employers, and teachers to work with individuals to explore what skills they might need to acquire to overcome their challenges, and to provide support for their acquisition. Such an approach not only provides individuals with economic resilience and social adaptation, but also contributes to human development by encouraging them to reconnect with society. She stressed the need to guarantee lifelong learning as a right, as it is everyone's right to be given the opportunity to learn. To develop and implement skills policies to ensure that no one is left behind, it is essential for the government, worker’s and employer's organizations to understand the specific facts of vulnerable groups collected through a bottom-up approach and work closely together in social dialogue.
Ms. Myogetsu Sasaki, Johonowa Corporation / NPO-Zutto implements vocational training programmes by utilizing the national training system, mainly in the southern region of Toyonaka City, Osaka Prefecture where many low-income and elderly people are living. She reported on the interactive training, provided as part of a human-centred skills development programmes from the practitioner’s point of view. She communicates with vulnerable individuals such as women, youth, and people in financial difficulties to explore opportunities for employment and learning with them. She stressed that through training and learning, individuals learn to connect with society and gain a place of safety and security so that they can fulfil their potential and develop themselves after receiving supports. She also emphasized the important role of the national and local governments in developing a framework with a human-centred approach. Under this framework, she explained that when the local government and private training institutions work together to provide interactive support, the circle of mutual understanding and inclusiveness given to the community will expand. She believes that as individuals and support providers learn together to deepen mutual understandings of what is needed, the community will change in the direction we want.
Comments from the viewpoint of social partners who attended the first part of the ILC in June and will participate in the second segment of the ILC starting in November were followed.
Mr. Tomohiro Uchino, Chief Officer for Overseas Cooperation Negotiation and Technical Cooperation, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare explained the status and future direction of vocational skills development in Japan. He stated that it is important to strengthen measures to support the efforts of employers and workers while considering changes in economic and social trends, and to integrate vocational skills development measures by coordinating local actors such as enterprises, private education and training institutions, and schools, in addition to the national and local governments. In the second part of the ILC's general discussion on skills development, he expressed his hope to contribute to the discussion by communicating the future direction of Japan and to collect good practices from other countries.
Ms. Akiko Gono, Member of Workers’ Group of ILO Governing Body firstly welcomed the "Global Call to Action for a Human-Centred Recovery," a coordinated action to address a job-rich recovery and tackle inequality, was unanimously adopted in the first part of the ILC. The digital transformation and the impact of COVID-19 have affected more vulnerable groups of workers. Focusing on skills development for affected groups is key to achieving a just transition for more vulnerable workers to build a sustainable recovery in the post-COVID-19 era. To achieve these goals, she stated that it is necessary to listen to the opinions of the people on the front lines and realize more advanced policies through social dialogue between government, worker’s, and employer's organizations.
Reflecting the adoption of the "Global Call to Action for a Human-Centred Recovery”, Mr. Tsuneyuki Tanaka, Deputy Director, Labour Legislation Bureau, Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) indicated that recovery from COVID-19 will be difficult for countries alone to overcome and that tripartite cooperation is essential. It is also important to address the skills mismatch through universal access to quality education, effective access to vocational training programmes, and support business continuity, while recognizing the important role of sustainable enterprises in creating jobs and promoting innovation and decent work, in achieving inclusive economic growth to ensure that no one is left behind. In addition to human resource development, it is also critical to improve public finances to strengthen the matching function of workers to ensure a smooth transition to the businesses in which growth is expected in the post-COVID-19 era, he said.
Throughout the discussion, it was affirmed that the “Global Call to Action for a Human-Centred Recovery” has been an encouraging message to build back better in the post-COVID-19 era. Job creation and gaining employment will help people achieve a more stable and secure environment in which all can learn with confidence. In addition, through the social dialogue promoted by the ILO, diverse opinions, including those of vulnerable groups, can be collected and that helps national and local governments as well as vocational training institutions to provide consistent services. Furthermore, it was emphasized that trust between service providers and individuals is important to spread a better cycle in the community. The symposium concluded with the hope that by doing so, more people will have access to social security and learning opportunities.
A report of this symposium will be published in the Ohara Institute of Social Studies Journal, the issue of May 2022. (Japanese) Back issues are available HERE .
