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The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of job training programs, as part of the special training contracts prompted by the Moroccan government, on the performances of Moroccan firms. Using firm-level panel data, we highlight that special training contracts are an efficient measure of public policy. Indeed, job training programs increase the competitiveness and the performances of Moroccan firms. Besides, these effects are even better when the implementation of training by Moroccan firms is part of a real strategy of human resources development. On the contrary, when firms consider the public policy only as a financing opportunity, they are severely sanctioned.

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This document comprises a report in Arabic and executive summaries in English and French. The workshop was organised as part of the UNEVOC project work plan for 1996-1997 in the Arab States, to emphasise the development and improvement of training and vocational education (TVE) programs for Member States. Its objectives were to enhance professionals’ abilities and skills at bringing vocational guidance and curricula (VCE) to basic, secondary and further education levels. Following analysis of VCE in the Arab States, examples of educational modules and units were presented, discussed and evaluated. Three papers were presented identifying examples and approaches to enhance access of girls and women to technical and vocational education and the role of regional and international organisations in VCE was discussed. The article concludes with details of the outputs and results from the workshop. Show less

Developments in vocational education and training (VET) intersect with social, economic and labour market policies, impacting young people and adults, as well as the employed and the unemployed. Governments across countries establish dialogue and cooperation with a wide variety of stakeholders to respond to the diverse needs of these groups through formal and non-formal learning. This paper investigates the specific role of civil society organisations in the VET policy cycle and governance ecosystem, drawing on the results of an ETF pilot survey carried out in 2018 in a selected group of countries from the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean - Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia.

Whereas the role of the government and social partners, as well as that of the private sector and VET training providers, in such a multilevel governance set-up has been relatively well defined, the nature of CSOs' contribution is less clear-cut. To better understand the added value of the CSOs' role in the multilevel governance of VET, their contribution can be contextualised in the following phases: (a) strategy formulation and policy design; (b) training provision and monitoring; and (c) policy evaluation and review. The EU considers CSOs to include all non-state, not-for-profit structures (non-partisan and non-violent), through which people organise to pursue shared objectives and ideals, whether political, cultural, social or economic. They include membership-based, cause-based and service-oriented CSOs. Among them are community-based organisations, NGOs, faith-based organisations, foundations, research institutions, gender and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) organisations, cooperatives, professional and business associations, and the not-for-profit media. Trade unions and employers' organisations, the so-called social partners, constitute a specific category within civil society. For the sake of this study, social partners are viewed as traditionally playing a role within a structured tripartite policy environment of training and employment, while CSOs (as defined above) rarely do.

The report concludes that CSOs have an acknowledged role to play as non-state actors in terms of VET policy shaping, and are equally making a valuable contribution in terms of implementing of high-quality, innovative and relevant VET training and providing employment services in the region. However, CSOs' role in terms of reviewing training provision and holding the public VET service providers accountable is clearly underdeveloped in the region. The report recommends raising awareness around the demonstrated added value that CSOs already bring to the table and how they could be contributing even more if allowed greater participation in the VET policy environment. It also suggests developing a wider understanding of CSOs' involvement in the VET policy cycle through further research.

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The B20 is committed to making recommendations that support the creation of the right environment for the economy and business to grow. Investment in productive infrastructure and expansion of international trade supported by an effective financing regime are important to achieving the collective additional growth target of two per cent over five years set by the G20 Finance Ministers in February 2014. Without continued investment in working people, countries will be unable to fully realise the potential of trade and infrastructure investments or increase the quantity and quality of both the labour force and employment opportunities, which in turn drive continued productivity and sustainable economic growth. More than half of the gross domestic product (GDP) growth in OECD countries over the past decade is related to labour income growth among tertiary educated individuals. In France, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, those with a tertiary education account for 60 per cent or more of growth in GDP. Action must be taken to ensure people are appropriately skilled, and have the capability, flexibility and adaptability to participate in the workforce of today and the workforce of the future. Special consideration must be given to actions that motivate and assist the long term and youth unemployed and groups with low participation so the entire workforce can be engaged.

Business, government, educational institutions and community organisations all have a role to play in delivering practical, actionable and measureable solutions that: maximise the job creation potential of the private and public sector; build adaptable and resilient skill sets aligned with future workforce needs; improve alignment of people, skills, jobs and locations; and increase organisation and workforce adaptability and flexibility. Building on the work from previous B20 Summits, the B20 Human Capital taskforce proposes four core recommendations to meet these objectives: (1) Undertake structural reform to increase flexibility, adaptability and mobility within and across labour markets; (2) Establish a national innovation agenda and pipeline with supporting structural reforms; (3) Increase the level of alignment and responsiveness between the learning ecosystem and workforce needs; and (4) Remove barriers inhibiting entrepreneurs from starting and growing businesses. A fifth recommendation acknowledges the difficulty of consistent measurement and valuation of human capital actions, and proposes that the Employment Plans being developed by G20 nations form the ‘baseline’ from which progress and development can be measured. It also calls for greater accountability for G20 nations in delivering on their commitments. Finally, the Human Capital taskforce supports the work undertaken by the Anti-Corruption Working Group to fight corruption. Employers, both business and government, have an obligation to implement training and compliance programs that build capacity and recognise ethical behaviour within their workforce. Reference has been made to specific actions that can be taken to support this as part of recommendation five on measurement.

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Higher education systems across the world are currently faced with a massive influx of learners with more diverse needs. They are expected to respond to this growing diversity through a more flexible learning offer and pathways that allow all learners, including those from disadvantaged groups, to access, progress through, and complete, higher education. To enhance knowledge on how to provide increased flexibility in higher education, [UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning] IIEP-UNESCO undertook an international research project on [Sustainable Development Goal 4] SDG-4: Planning for Flexible Learning Pathways (FLPs) in Higher Education. The project included a stocktaking of policies, instruments, and practices, an international survey among UNESCO Member States, and eight in-depth country studies on Chile, Finland, India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Morocco, South Africa, and the UK. This book presents the findings from the research, including a cross-country analysis of available FLP policies and practices, and how they enhance equitable higher education systems. It also presents a series of country experiences with innovative approaches to alternative entry, flexible progression, and governance systems in support of FLPs.

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The contents are as follows: Introduction: flexible learning pathways: a response to a changing higher education landscape / Michaela Martin and Uliana Furiv. Part 1, 'Concepts and cross-national perspectives on flexible learning pathways', contains the following chapters: Clarifying concepts and dimensions of flexible learning pathways / Michaela Martin and Uliana Furiv; International overview of policies and practices for flexible learning pathways / Michaela Martin, Uliana Furiv, and Ana Godonoga; Role of flexible learning pathways in the promotion of equity / Michaela Martin, Uliana Furiv, and Sophie Guillet; Developing governance in support of flexible learning pathways / Michaela Martin and Uliana Furiv. Part 2, 'Getting into higher education: flexible admission policies', contains: Open entry admission in Finland / Sirpa Moitus and Leasa Weimer; Recognition of prior learning in Malaysia / Mohamad Afzhan Khan, Muhamad Saiful Bahri Yusoff, Morshidi Sirat, Wan Zuhainis Saad, and Khairul Salleh Mohamed Sahari.

Part 3, 'Getting through and out of higher education: flexible study modes and articulation', contains: Combining vocational and academic studies in Jamaica / Dawn Barrett-Adams and Carolyn Hayle; Establishing regulated bridges in Morocco / El Bachir Kouhlani and Mohammed Nabil Benchekroun; Distance education and open learning platforms in India / Garima Malik and Narayanan Annalakshmi. Part 4, 'Supporting flexible learning pathways through governance', contains: Balancing autonomy and market forces with regulation in England / John Brennan; Funding and quality assurance for flexible learning pathways in Chile / Anely Ramirez-Sanchez, Maria Jose Lemaitre, Christian Blanco, and Pablo Baeza; Creating a robust policy framework supporting flexible learning pathways in South Africa / Heidi Bolton and Liapeng Matsau. Conclusions: moving flexible learning pathways from policy to practice / Michaela Martin and Uliana Furiv. Show less

This methodological note has been developed within the project 'Migrant Support Measures from an Employment and Skills Perspective' (MISMES). It is part of a series of reports presenting the main findings of the MISMES project - namely, a worldwide inventory of migrant support measures implemented in sending countries to facilitate labour mobility and increase the developmental effect of migration, and five in-depth studies in the countries which concluded mobility partnerships with the European Union (EU): Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Morocco, and Tunisia. For the purpose of these reports, MISMES are defined as specific policy interventions - pre, during and post migration - aimed at improving the labour market integration of migrant workers or the matching of their skills. This methodological note aims to provide a common template and guidelines for the implementation of MISMES country case studies. The ultimate objective of these studies is to generate information not only to draw policy conclusions at national level, but also to allow for a systematic comparison of similar MISMES across countries.

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The UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) prepares the Global Report on Adult Learning and Education (GRALE) every three years in order to strengthen understanding of 'where we stand' as a global community, and to address the growing need for youth and adult education. The focus of GRALE 4 is on participation, inclusion and equity in adult learning and education. The present report draws on data from GRALE 4 [report available in VOCEDplus at TD/TNC 139.288], published in 2019, to provide a regional snapshot of the progress made in adult learning and education in the Arab States between 2015 and 2018. Drawing on information from 18 Arab countries, it allows for a comparative analysis both among Arab countries and with the rest of the world.

Arab countries reported significant progress in the participation of women in adult learning and education since 2015. However, ALE access to quality non-formal education with a lifelong perspective remains underdeveloped, in particular for disadvantaged groups. The report reveals that adult learning and education in the region is strongly focused on literacy, with less attention given to other areas of adult learning, such as continuing education and professional development, and citizenship education. This suggests that, while further progress is needed in achieving basic education for all, the other dimensions of adult learning need to be given adequate attention to ensure provision that is comprehensive and relevant to the diverse needs of adult and youth learners.

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This study proposes and applies a new methodology to analyse firms' and workers' occupational preferences. We use microdata covering all 2014-2018 vacancy and jobseeker registrations from the Public Employment Services of Belgium, Morocco, and South Korea. We find that a small number of occupations are responsible for a large share of registrations and may thus deserve particular attention. We also find considerable stability in occupation preferences (especially by jobseekers) but that the correlation between firms' and workers' preferences weakens over time. Finally, we find different responsiveness levels of jobseeker preferences to vacancy gaps. However, young jobseekers do not appear to respond more quickly to such gaps.

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For young people in the southern Mediterranean, labour market entry is long and difficult. Empirical tests carried out in one Moroccan region show that informal employment largely predominates among young people. Even if a qualification does not protect them from unemployment, it is necessary for access to formal jobs. Experience in the labour market helps as well. Two major divisions emerge according to the length of studies and gender. The least educated have few occupational choices; when they have no experience, they are essentially relegated into jobs which are neither paid nor protected by labour legislation. For young women, the first obstacle to be overcome concerns entry into the labour force, which is strongly dependent on their local environment and family context but also their own aspirations. Acknowledging career success as a long-term objective encourages them to participate more frequently in the labour force. Once this is the case, however, they are considerably more vulnerable to unemployment. This study also permits a comparative review of concepts such as unemployment and [not in employment, education or training] NEET.

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For economies, enterprises and workers across Africa, the [Coronavirus Disease 2019] COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes to the workplace. Some of these changes have been immediate, such as disruptions to supply chains or lockdowns that forced enterprises to close. Other changes - and perhaps the more significant ones - are long-term, with the COVID-19 pandemic reshaping and accelerating existing trends in workplace change. At its core, the pandemic has fundamentally altered where and how people work, upending many long-standing norms and practices. Enterprises and workers have made many changes, often out of necessity, though they have regularly brought unexpected improvements in productivity or working conditions.

This report documents these changes and examines how enterprises from across Africa view and respond to them. It has been developed with support from the Bureau for Employers Activities of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ILO Regional Office for Africa, in partnership with employer and business membership organizations (EBMOs) from across Africa. The research covers fifteen countries in Africa, and takes a mixed-methods approach. One component is a survey conducted from June to November 2021 covering 1,017 formal sector enterprises, most of whom are members of EBMOs. Collectively, they employ some 750,000 workers. This is complemented by a broad-based literature review and 126 key informant interviews, mostly with top management and human resources professionals from the private sector. In addition, we conducted five in-depth case studies with multinational enterprises, each having operations in at least five African countries. While these various sources of information do not cover all parts of every economy in Africa, they provide deep and broad insights about how workplaces at urban, formal enterprises in Africa are changing.

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