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This report was produced in the framework of the project, 'Skills for green jobs'. The project was implemented in cooperation between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). The project identifies skills needed for greener economies with respect to structural shifts, and new, emerging and changing occupational profiles. The report's principal purpose is to set the scene in terms of the key challenges and priorities for climate change mitigation and adaptation for the Australian economy. The report also focuses on the imminent skills development issues, and the current education and training responses.

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This paper examines skills training and upgrading programs for vulnerable population groups in P4 countries: Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. It is based on responses received to a questionnaire that the International Labour Office (ILO) sent out to the countries concerned. Each country was asked to provide succinct information on: (1) the general socioeconomic situation prevailing in the country; (2) definitions and descriptions of labour market and population groups the country considers vulnerable with respect to employment, incomes and livelihoods; (3) descriptions and analysis of skills training and upgrading policies, programs and initiatives which governments, the private sector and the social partners have implemented to overcome these vulnerabilities; (4) assessments and evaluations of the outcomes, in particular in terms of employment, of these programs and descriptions of the indicators used to measure outcomes; and (5) the lessons that have been learned from the implementation of these policies, programs and assessments, and their strengths and weaknesses. Show less

The [ILO] Skills and Employability Department (EMP/SKILLS) has been monitoring the role of public employment services in response to the economic crisis. This paper compiles information on the contributions of national public employment services in countries in every region to respond to the employment impact of the financial crisis and illustrates the important role these institutions serve in the labour market. Information has been collected from ILO, World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES) and national public employment service sources. The paper provides further examples of the policy measures being implemented by public employment services included in the paper submitted to the Employment and Social Policy Committee 'ILO support for the role of public employment services in the labour market' (G.B.306 ESP/3/2). This list of program responses reflects information available as of October, 2009.

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The Declaration on Employment and Poverty in Africa, 2004 commits African Union (AU) members to ensure equal opportunities for disabled persons by implementing the African Decade of Disabled Persons and, to that end, developing policies and national programmes that favour full participation of persons with disabilities and their families in social, political and economic development. The Plan of Action for the implementation of the commitments made in this Declaration prioritizes the targeting and empowering of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, through education, skills training and entrepreneurship, among other recommended actions. Given the emerging trend towards a rights-based approach to disability issues in South Africa, and the support provided to this by the AU Declaration in the broader context of Africa, it is timely to examine legal provisions concerning the training and employment of disabled persons and their implementation, and to identify steps which may be needed to improve opportunities for disabled persons seeking to acquire marketable skills, find a decent job or set up a viable business. This workshop, 'People with Disabilities: Pathways to Decent Work', 19-21 May 2006, provided the opportunity to commence such a review. The workshop was linked to two ILO projects in South Africa [Promoting the Employability and Employment of People with Disabilities through Effective Legislation; Strategies for Skills Acquisition and Work for Persons with Disabilities in Southern Africa]. During the workshop, participants examined legislation and implementation mechanisms in place, identified steps required to improve the quality and impact of laws and policies, as well as the quality and relevance of skills training for persons with disabilities in South Africa. Participants were also sensitized to some effective mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating legislation: they examined examples of effective strategies and methods for skills acquisition for productive work; proposed policy recommendations for enhanced mainstream vocational training; considered ways to improve and increase skills development opportunities for persons with disabilities; and identified follow-up action to be taken by key stakeholders.

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At the European Regional Meeting on The Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Vocational Training and Employment, Geneva, 9 March 2007, the ILO, along with the CTNERHI [Centre Technique National d'Etudes et de Recherches sur les Handicaps et les Inadaptations], France, and the Office of the Secretary of State for Families and Persons with Disabilities, Belgium discussed with delegates of a number of European countries, and representatives of employers' and workers' organizations, how to structure and organize applied research, international comparative studies, and the systematic gathering and sharing of information that address the questions regarding equal opportunity and effective inclusion of persons with disabilities in vocational training and employment in the open labour market. The primary objective for this preliminary meeting was to initiate the process, and develop a formal proposal for the applied research, including the organization of an international platform to coordinate and advise the process.

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The last two decades have been marked by much political tumult in Nepal, with many constitutional amendments and changes of government. More recently, the transformation of Nepal to a federal republic in 2007-08 has altered the nature of politics in the country, though political instability remains. Economic growth has been slow in comparison with neighbouring countries, with [gross domestic product] GDP growth under 4.5 per cent [per annum] p.a. between 2001-02 to 2009-10. Given an expanding population, average income per capita has risen at a sluggish two per cent p.a., and is the lowest in South Asia. Though remittances from emigrants have injected resources into the economy, the poverty incidence remains high with 30.8 per cent of the population living under the national poverty line. Since unemployment ranks at only 2.1 per cent, the main contributor to the high poverty figure has been working poverty, that is the lack of productive employment. The present study offers an employment diagnostic analysis of Nepal. The overall objective is to understand the deficiency of productive employment and to identify critical constraints to inclusive and sustainable growth. The study thus aims at coming to a broad understanding of where the challenges to productive employment lie in Nepal in order to aid further policy advice.

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This publication is a compilation of 25 company profiles, which describes how companies address hiring and retention, products and services and corporate social responsibility (CSR) from the perspective of disability. It is one of the first knowledge sharing initiatives of the ILO Global Business and Disability Network. Emerging from the profiles are some features. Practices related to the company's internal operation include: policy statements related to non-discrimination and inclusion of disabled persons; benchmarking activities; measures to make the workplace, printed materials, the online environment and commercial outlets or distribution points accessible; employee disability networks; and disability awareness training for management and co-workers. Practices to promote the training, hiring or retention of disabled persons and to enhance their productivity include: specific recruitment or community outreach techniques and programmes; internships, training programmes and mentoring or leadership programmes specifically oriented to those with disabilities; reasonable accommodation to meet individual needs; allocation of designated human resource or management staff trained or knowledgeable about work-related disability issues; and policies and practices for business-to-business relationships with entrepreneurs with disabilities. Practices to partner and collaborate with others to realize disability inclusion or CSR goals include: policies, standards or specific programmes to reach out to or influence vendors and the supply chain; employee volunteer programmes; collaboration with unions, non-governmental organizations and governments; collaboration with disabled persons' organizations, including with regard to disability awareness training, accessibility and product development; adherence to accessibility standards, both online and in the physical environment and active promotion of such standards; and participation in business groups and networks related to disability issues.

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This document reports on a meeting, held in Bangkok on 29-31 August 2005, that brought together leading training institutions from a group of countries in the Asia Pacific region to discuss the revitalisation of the ILO Regional Skills Network in Asia and the Pacific into an effective skills network. The meeting examined some of the key issues and challenges for skills development and discussed lessons learned on networking and technical cooperation. Technical sessions and working group sessions were held to examine skills issues, networking tools, and the perspectives of governments, employers and workers, working towards a draft cooperation framework for the region. Show less

The Declaration on Employment and Poverty in Africa, 2004 commits African Union (AU) members to ensure equal opportunities for disabled persons by implementing the African Decade of Disabled Persons and, to that end, developing policies and national programmes that favour full participation of persons with disabilities and their families in social, political and economic development. The Plan of Action for the implementation of the commitments made in this Declaration prioritizes the targeting and empowering of vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities, through education, skills training and entrepreneurship, among other recommended actions. Given the emerging trend towards a rights-based approach to disability issues in Malawi, and the support provided to this by the AU Declaration in the broader context of Africa, it is timely to examine legal provisions concerning the training and employment of disabled persons and their implementation, and to identify steps which may be needed to improve opportunities for disabled persons seeking to acquire marketable skills, find a decent job or set up a viable business. This workshop, 'People with Disabilities: Pathways to Decent Work', 16-17 May 2006, provided the opportunity to commence such a review. The workshop was linked to two ILO projects in Malawi [Promoting the Employability and Employment of People with Disabilities through Effective Legislation; Strategies for Skills Acquisition and Work for Persons with Disabilities in Southern Africa]. During the workshop, participants examined legislation and implementation mechanisms in place, identified steps required to improve the quality and impact of laws and policies, as well as the quality and relevance of skills training for persons with disabilities in Malawi. Participants were also sensitized to some effective mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating legislation: they examined examples of effective strategies and methods for skills acquisition for productive work; proposed policy recommendations for enhanced mainstream vocational training; considered ways to improve and increase skills development opportunities for persons with disabilities; and identified follow-up action to be taken by key stakeholders.

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This report is a companion reader to the earlier publication 'A guide to worker displacement: some tools for reducing the impact on workers, communities and enterprises'. The guide was originally published as a response to the financial crisis that gripped much of Asia in 1997 with severe impacts in terms of worker retrenchments and rising unemployment. Drawing on experience, primarily in North America, Central and Eastern Europe, the guide presented possible strategies for averting layoffs and promoting business retention including early warning, stressing the importance of monitoring and rapid response mechanisms such as retraining, to ensure worker adjustment and economic renewal.

This publication presents case studies from Australia, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Each case study illustrates the principles for fair responses which have been set out in the guide and collectively demonstrate the diversity of actions which have resulted from effective social dialogue and collaborative interaction in managing labour market adjustments under a variety of circumstances. Show less