About the Skills Innovation Network
Our vision
Skills systems are confronted by the need to respond to increasingly dynamic and fluid labour market and societal conditions. Climate change, technology, demographic shifts, migration and globalization are causing disruption to the world of work, while making skills development even more complex, fluid and unpredictable.Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic has made skilling, reskilling and up-skilling more difficult for young people and adult workers around the world. Whilst the pandemic enhanced opportunities for distance learning to a certain extent, it has significantly disrupted the planning and implementation of training and learning, as well as examinations and assessments processes for certification. Unless actions are taken now, the global loss of skills training and education will have long-lasting impacts on people, businesses, and societies in a way that will be felt far in the future.
This challenge is particularly pressing in developing and emerging economies, where education and training systems are not equipped to deliver high-quality programmes, well-paid jobs are limited and where skilled workers have no option but to work in lower-skilled jobs or find employment in the informal economy. As we look for ways to recover from the pandemic and build a “better normal”, there is a clear need for opportunities where multiple stakeholders come together to contribute and create innovative and scalable solutions.
The Skills Innovation Network aims to provide a safe place for skills innovators interested in sharing ideas and experiences and collaborating to develop and scale innovations that support skills development for employability of workers, productivity of enterprises and promoting social justice.
Our work
The Skills Innovation Network is a unique platform for skills innovators from different backgrounds to share and support each other’s work. By applying a peer-to-peer mentoring and learning approach, everyone in the network will have an opportunity to participate, contribute and learn from the community.Moreover, through regional and global knowledge sharing sessions, members will be able to showcase their solutions not only to innovators, ILO Constituents, TVET institutions, academia, and development practitioners; but also to potential partners and sponsors to establish and expand collaboration and partnerships.
The Skills Innovation Network also supports the design and implementation of national, regional and global innovations on skills development and lifelong learning. It provides technical advice and access to ILO tools and resources, private ideation workshops, innovation clinics, tailored trainings and mentoring programmes. Networking with partners and experts in the area of skills development will also be facilitated.
Original members
The core members of the Skills Innovation Network are the finalists of previous Skills Innovation Challenge Calls. The original members who have been with the Skills Innovation Network for the longest amount of time include the following individuals and organisations:Ánima, Uruguay
Ánima is a technological baccalaureate with two orientations: Management and Information Technology. It is a privately run educational institution with free access aimed at socially vulnerable young people. Ánima has been implementing dual training in Uruguay since 2016. Learn moreBlink 42-21, North Macedonia
The Center for Social innovations of Blink 42-21 believes that innovation - the creation and adoption of new ideas - is the key to human progress, prosperity and happiness. Blink 42-21 is a platform that connects people who believe that social innovation can lead to economic, educational and social transformation and cultural challenges. Learn moreCoSchool, Colombia
Coschool envisions a world where today’s youngest generations in Colombia and Latin America, who require a wide-ranging set of socio-emotional skills, are prepared to face a rapidly changing workplace, positioned to achieve better academic outcomes and equipped to contribute to society. In line with this vision, we firmly believe that access to high quality teacher training can improve learning outcomes and transform education systems.Digital RPL System – Ms Swati Arora (Freelancer), India
Digital RPL system aims to formally recognize and validate the skill competencies of digitally literate population of the Indian workforce by using an interactive application through a customised model. The application shall use interactive interface and advanced algorithms to help users in identification of preferred trades, prepare proofs for validation, undertake self-evaluation tests, and issue credits at each passing stage. Recommendations or ratings from past or current employers shall also attract credits. Users could thereafter undergo proctored assessments at their own pace and comfort, by recognized awarding agencies and obtain minimum credits to get RPL certified.First Real-time Worker Solutions Ltd, Kenya
First Realtime Solutions Limited is a leading human resource agency that provides online workforce management systems & services to enable high performing teams. Under the brand name SmarterJobs, we offer state of the art realtime systems to support remote working, virtual teams and online employee services to ensure organizational and team success.GAN Argentina, Argentina
GAN Global empowers people and businesses by promoting and advocating for the uptake of work-based learning including apprenticeships, as a way to address the mismatch between the skills people have and the skills employers need.GAN Argentina creates alliances with companies, organizations and education and training centres to promote the early development in young people of professional skills required by the labour market. GAN Argentina’s goal is to encourage local companies to commit to the training and incorporation of young people into the world of employment.