With the rising economic importance of human resources and skills, employment and training agencies are now often expected to play a more important role in local strategies to support new job creation, facilitate restructuring and increase productivity. The OECD Local Economic and Employment Development (LEED) Programme has developed a series of Reviews on Local Job Creation to examine the contribution of local labour market policy to boosting quality employment and enhancing productivity., This report looks at a range of key labour market, economic and social indicators related to Canada's growing Indigenous population, which comprises First Nations, Inuit and Metis. In 2016, there were over 1.6 million Indigenous People in Canada, accounting for 4.9 per cent of the total population, which is a significant increase from 3.8 per cent in 2006. The report looks at the implementation of the federal government's Indigenous Skills and Employment Training Strategy through in-depth analysis across four case study areas, including: (1) the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resources and Development in Winnipeg, Manitoba; (2) Community Futures Treaty Seven in Calgary, Alberta; (3) MAWIW Council in Fredericton, New Brunswick; and (4) Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment and Training Services (KKETS) in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The report highlights critical success factors to better link Indigenous People to high quality jobs while also providing recommendations regarding future labour market and skills programming for Indigenous People in Canada.

This research by the British Council examines the inclusion of refugees in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in five countries - Ethiopia, Jordan, Pakistan, South Africa and the UK. An index and supporting analytical report were created through evidence gathered from interviews with stakeholders in these countries and a desk review. The index and report compare TVET for refugees across these countries through the themes of availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability. The main findings of the research are: TVET for refugees exists in all of the countries but it is never universally available to all refugees; refugee policy and bureaucratic practices create barriers which deny refugees access to TVET; however, policymakers in some countries have relaxed policies in order to enable refugees to access TVET; TVET often fails to provide refugees with learning opportunities that are personally acceptable. The training on offer rarely takes account of refugees' prior learning, work experience, cultural practices or aspirations for the future; policymakers, funders and education providers make a reasonable effort to adapt existing policies, funding systems and programmes to the needs of refugees.

Policymakers at the state and federal levels have expressed concern over the emerging 'skills gap' - the mismatch between the job skills employers are looking for and the skills that applicants in the labor market possess. The skills gap is most acute for middle-skilled jobs; that is, jobs that require training beyond high school but less than a four-year college degree program. According to analysis by the National Skills Coalition, middle-skilled jobs account for 53 per cent of the United States labor market, yet only 43 per cent of the labor force is trained to the middle-skill level. Some estimates have concluded the skills gap costs the US economy $160 billion annually in terms of unfilled labor output, reduced productivity, and depressed earnings. To address these labor market challenges, many have turned to America's workforce development system., Recent efforts from Congress and the White House confirm that policymakers are serious about expanding job-training opportunities. But even with the heightened focus, a shockingly small percentage of individuals leveraging the workforce system combine available Department of Labor training funds with money from other federal and state programs - despite that many more might qualify for additional aid. Incongruent bureaucratic processes commonly inhibit the effectiveness of workforce training, and policy requirements are not clearly communicated to training seekers, financial aid administrators, and private entities. If the goal is to increase the number of job seekers that participate in high-quality training programs, more can be done to improve the coordination between the Department of Labor and these groups. This report offers recommendations for enhancing the federal workforce development system by reviewing and identifying inefficiencies in the current system. It concludes by forwarding several policy suggestions aimed at improving the way that Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act funding is used by job seekers and training providers.

This report argues that, despite some reform progress, the education and training system in England, particularly for young people and retraining adults, has not delivered the skills needed for growth and innovation. The report acknowledges that effective skills delivery is difficult and so presents the outcomes of dialogue between CBI and providers, local and national government, and businesses of all sizes on what can be done. Two consistent messages emerged from the conversations. Firstly, that England's skills system needs stability - the incentives, funding and regulation it uses should act as a strategic national framework that encourages local innovation and investment. Secondly, that all involved - business, government and providers - need to change their approach to skills provision. Investment of time, collaboration and genuine partnership are essential, and will require everyone to shift behaviour, tone and practice. Local leadership within a stable national framework is the key., The conclusions of this report are designed to make a practical contribution on how to ensure current skills reforms can be used to drive a generational change, not just another turn of the policy wheel. The Industrial Strategy can only be successful if we get this right.

Broad-based prosperity in a 21st century economy requires a skilled workforce with the cutting-edge abilities and knowledge employers require to remain globally competitive. Preparing workers for rewarding careers that meet the needs of employers is critical. Although many workers enter the workforce each year without a four-year college degree, the focus of public debate and policy is often weighted towards degree-granting post- secondary education as though it were the only pipeline to work. Significant portions of the US working population don’t have a college degree and may not ever achieve one. Roughly half of today’s 30- to 34-year-olds have not achieved a college degree of any kind. Children from families with low socioeconomic status are significantly less likely than their more affluent peers to attain a college degree at the outset of their careers. Helping all children reach their educational goals should be a priority. However, a realistic approach to employment means that a college degree shouldn’t represent the only path. The Committee for Economic Development (CED) believes the nation must focus on effective pathways to help students from all backgrounds and educational attainments successfully transition to careers as members of a skilled US workforce. To further that goal, this report looks at three tools to better serve those students whose initial entry into the workforce will not necessarily include a traditional college degree. First, it looks at the need for and potential benefits of information for students and trainees as they navigate the initial transition from education to work. There are substantial potential returns to individuals and employers from scalable, evidence-based models that could inform students and trainees about which skills are in demand, how those skills can be obtained, and the likely return on their investment in such learning. Policymakers should consider the relative merits of alternative interventions ranging from light-touch information campaigns to more intensive counseling. Second, the report proposes smart investments in apprenticeships in the US, building on a history of bipartisan support. When executed well, apprenticeship programs, which help workers affordably gain in-demand skills and help employers develop and shape a pipeline of skilled workers, are one of the most promising nondegree career pathway models and promise important public benefits. After examining potential challenges and limitations, the report recommends a series of public policy actions to further evaluate, encourage, and develop the use of apprenticeships. Third, given the potential underutilization of existing talent among nondegree holders, the report encourages employers to rethink how they use educational attainment in evaluating and hiring potential talent, both for their own benefit and for the benefit of the large numbers of skilled students and trainees transitioning to careers without traditional degrees. With potential changes in technology and talent assessment on the horizon, forward-looking businesses should look to exploit a potential advantage in identifying more productive workers, with or without degrees.

The economic and labour crisis created by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could increase global unemployment by almost 25 million, according to a new assessment by the International Labour Organization (ILO). However, if we see an internationally coordinated policy response, as happened in the global financial crisis of 2008/9, then the impact on global unemployment could be significantly lower. The first edition of the monitor provides a preliminary assessment and calls for urgent, large-scale and coordinated measures across three pillars: protecting workers in the workplace, stimulating the economy and employment, and supporting jobs and incomes. These measures include extending social protection, supporting employment retention (i.e. short-time work, paid leave, other subsidies), and financial and tax relief, including for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. It also proposes fiscal and monetary policy measures, and lending and financial support for specific economic sectors. Subsequent editions released on an approximately monthly basis provide updated estimates and analysis.

Early-career researchers (ECRs) are facing a diverse employment landscape that is becoming increasingly intersectoral, international, and interdisciplinary. Transferable skills and competences, i.e. skills learned in one context that are useful in another, are thus very important to increase the employability of ECRs and to support their diverse career paths. This report contains a skills matrix with nine categories focusing on essential research, career development, digital, communication, cognitive, interpersonal, teaching and supervision, enterprise, and mobility skills for ECRs. The skills matrix consists of a total of 66 transferable skills as summarised in the Eurodoc Transferable Skills for Early-Career Researchers Infographic. The aim of the matrix is to promote awareness and increase uptake and training in transferable skills among ECRs and higher education institutions. The report serves as a starting point to help ECRs identify the transferable skills they have already obtained and still need to acquire.

Robot workers replacing human jobs – the debate of the decade. In reality, the opposite looks true. Our research shows more employers than ever (84 per cent) plan to increase or maintain their headcount as a result of automation. Rather than reducing employment opportunities, organisations are investing in digital, shifting tasks to robots and creating new jobs. At the same time, companies are scaling their upskilling so their human workforce can perform new and complementary roles to those done by machines. With talent shortages reaching a 12-year high and new skills appearing as quickly as old ones disappear, more companies are planning to build than ever before with 89 per cent of organisations expected to be upskilling their workforce by 2020. Companies are realising they can no longer expect to find just-in-time talent, on tap. This report provides a real-time view of how automation is changing the way organisations operate: hiring more people, creating more jobs and upskilling more so that they have the workforce they need to succeed.

The 2018 Industry Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work details the training product priorities for the Industry Reference Committee through to June 2022. These priorities are developed in response to the identified skills and knowledge needs in the workforce, which are translated into the learning requirements set out in training products. The Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry is a critical pillar of the Australian education and training system, providing learners with job ready skills for the labour force and training pathways to progress their careers and employability. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Training Packages are critical elements in this system, equipping approximately 100,000 learners enrolled in one of the 44 ICT VET qualifications with future-ready ICT skills and knowledge, ready to begin or further a successful ICT career., In response to industry drivers and the pressing need for the ICT VET sector to better its employment outcomes, the ICT Industry Reference Committee (IRC) has proposed a review of the ICT Training Package. This Industry Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work (ISFPSW) therefore provides the basis for this review to provide new career options and pathways into employment across a range of business and industries as a result of gaining an ICT VET qualification. This is delineated in the following segments: (1) Sector Overview - This section summarizes the parameters of the ICT workforce, including geographical employment overviews, the activities undertaken, and the challenges and opportunities faced by learners and workers; (2) Employment and Skills Outlook - The section outlines current and future employment projections in the VET sector and factors that may influence the supply of graduates to fill these positions are discussed to understand future supply and demand within the sector. The skills needs and job roles of these learners and workers are considered through a lens of the trends affecting the VET industry as a whole. This assessment is central to informing an understanding of future job roles and necessary skills needs within the sector more broadly, as well as the specific elements that may need inclusion in the ICT Training Package; (3) Key Drivers for Change and Proposed Responses - This section serves as the ICT Case for Change Project 3 scheduled for 2018-19. It outlines the factors driving change in the ICT workforce, including the growing industry demand for emerging skills and workers, elevated importance of enterprise and soft skills within IT and the heightened demand to have new and better ways of incorporating student learning with industry experience through vendor certifications and higher apprenticeship pathways. These factors are changing the jobs within IT, therefore the ICT Training Package requires an update to reflect the skill and capability requirements of future roles; (4) Proposed Schedule of Work - Drawing on the above analysis and implication of trends and skills needs, the Proposed Schedule of Work articulates the training product development priorities within the ICT Training Package. The purpose of the schedule is to ensure that learners are appropriately skilled to enter a sector affected by the above trends.