Skills for Employment CIDA Policy context and Programming guidelines ACCC Forum–Edmonton, June c

Presentation on Skills for Employment at CIDA Part 1. CIDA Policy context: Thematic priority: Stimulating sustainable economic growth Links to thematic priority: Securing the future of children and youth Part 2. CIDA Skills for Employment programming guidelines Part 3. Skills for Employment programming at CIDA c

Part 1. CIDA Policy context CIDA has three thematic priorities: -Increasing food security; -Securing the future of children and youth; -Stimulating sustainable economic growth. Stimulating sustainable economic growth priority has three paths: -Building economic foundations -Growing businesses -Investing in people Skills for Employment programming falls under path “Investing in people” c

CIDA Policy context: link to “Securing the future of children and youth” Securing the future of children and youth has three paths: -access to a quality education; -child survival, including maternal, newborn and child health; -safe and secure futures for children and youth; Skills for Employment falls under Sustainable economic growth but is linked to access to quality education, in particular to “support learning opportunities and life skills training for youth, in and out of school” Skills for Employment programming is often focused on youth as a target group, and generally involves training institutions that provide educational services c

Part 2. CIDA Skills for Employment (SFE) Programming guidelines Skills for Employment (not using term “TVET”) Goes beyond formal technical and vocational education and training Includes knowledge, skills and competencies gained in schools and in the workplace Includes short and longer-term training programs Focuses on young people and adult workers and recognizes the critical importance of life-long learning As the names indicates, puts a strong emphasis on finding employment after skills training c

Elements of Effective SFE programming 11 elements Based on best practices and lessons learned internationally and at CIDA c Reflect CIDA’s vision of demand-driven, sustainable, equitable SFE

1. Economic and policy environments What is needed: o A stable economic environment o A sound investment climate o Well-functioning financial institutions o Relatively efficient labour markets First steps could include: o Realistic labour market analysis o Building capacity to interpret data o Development of sound SFE policies and frameworks c

2. Demand-driven, flexible programming Sound SFE programs are: o Responsive to demands of local or national labour markets o Able to adapt to changes in technology There will be a need to: o Strengthen links among government ministries, business, labour and training programs o Build capacity to analyze and disseminate labour market information o Ensure flexibility of SFE programming c

3. Involvement of the private sector Involvement of the private sector is critical Industry associations, business, small and medium enterprises, labour organizations can: o Deliver training programs o Help to identify emerging market needs o Provide valuable input into : o policy development o competencies o curriculum design and delivery o training standards c

4. Financial resources SFE programs are often expensive Funding must support: o Curriculum o Teacher training o Equipment and materials o Facilities (learning sites) What is needed: o long-term, sustainable funding that is used efficiently o Capacity building in financial planning and management o Possibility of funding sources outside of government c

5. Quality and relevance Critical to strong SFE enrolment and completion rates Considerations to ensure quality: o Staff qualifications and competencies o Curriculum review, development and implementation processes o A focus on transferable skills o Incorporation of life skills o Public-private partnerships c

6. SFE and the informal economy Largest employer in developing countries, particularly of women Working conditions can be poor, productivity low, and incomes inadequate The challenges include: o The need for basic numeracy, literacy and life skills in addition to technical skills o Resistance to formalization o Strengthening informal apprenticeship systems c

7. Gender issues in SFE programming Barriers to women’s participation in SFE remain What is needed: o Proactive, comprehensive SFE gender equality policies and plans o Strategies to make SFE programs more welcoming to women o Strategies to open non- traditional occupations to women c

8. The special needs of youth Youth may make up over 30% of population at the global level Youth have longer periods of unemployment and low-skilled work Considerations: o The need to build literacy, numeracy and life skills o A focus on transferable and entrepreneurial skills o Flexible timing, short duration courses o Programs for child labourers o Support entry into the formal education system c

9. SFE in rural areas 70% of poor live in rural areas Many depend on subsistence agriculture SFE may focus on : o Increasing productivity o Opportunities for off- farm employment o Entrepreneurship c

10. Access for marginalized groups Basic principles apply, but specific strategies are needed for: o Indigenous peoples o People with disabilities o People living with the impact of HIV/AIDS o People living in post-conflict or fragile states, including demobilized soldiers c

11. Environmental sustainability Environmental sustainability is a cross-cutting issue for CIDA Considerations: – The possibility of a focus on “green jobs” – The use of new agricultural technologies in rural areas – The need for SFE programs to raise awareness of environmental issues. c

Part 3. Skills for Employment programming at CIDA Increasing level of programming in Skills for Employment Major programs: -Education for Employment in Africa (Tanzania, Senegal, Mozambique) -Education for Employment in the Caribbean region -Education for Employment in the Andean region (Colombia, Peru, Bolivia) –proposal under review -CANADO project in Haiti -Bilateral programming planned or implemented in Morocco, Burkina Faso, Vietnam, Cuba and other countries c

Key points of presentation CIDA’s policy framework articulates skills training as “Skills for Employment” and links it to sustainable economic growth; The 11 programming guidelines for Skills for Employment provide clear guidance to programs in the field; Skills for Employment is a priority for the Agency and programming is increasing in our 20 focus countries Odette Langlais, Education Specialist c