Context

In 2012, Egypt’s unemployment rate reached its highest level for ten years. Young people between the ages of 15 and 30 are particularly affected, making up around 90% of the country’s unemployed. At the same time, a growing number of job vacancies cannot be adequately filled. Across all sectors, companies are complaining about the low level of young job-seekers’ qualifications. There is a lack of institutionalised cooperation between policy-makers and economic actors on the issue of promoting youth employment.

Objective

In a partnership between the public and private sectors, policy-makers and economic actors are implementing reforms for the promotion of youth employment.

Approach

Commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-financed by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), this programme supports the Egyptian Government in developing new, proactive employment policy measures. The main focus is on close cooperation between private-sector associations and public institutions.

Main areas of support:

• Policy advice and strategic planning of vocational education. The programme supports the Ministry of Education in contributing actively to the national dialogue on employment and developing monitoring and evaluation competencies that will allow it to take a more evidence-based approach to developing reforms and programmes.
• Greater involvement of the private sector. The programme advises private sector associations on the development of demand-driven labour market services in the fields of further education and training.
• Provision of labour market information. The programme is working with the private sector associations to establish regional monitoring structures. This will improve the information base for policy-makers, as well as the advisory and placement services available to job seekers.
• Introduction of new career guidance services. The programme supports private and public actors in implementing target group-specific models of careers guidance. These help to ensure the better placement of young people in jobs or training courses that meet the existing demand.
• Development of demand-based training measures. The programme supports the Ministry of Education and selected private institutions in aligning their training measures with the employment potential of the Egyptian labour market, and expanding the scope of these measures.

Context

When we think of Lebanon, we automatically conjure up images of civil war and destruction. The way in which the country is perceived internationally has largely been influenced by the military conflict which lasted till 1990, and the July War in 2006.

In addition to the devastating effects on society, these events have been very damaging for the economy. The Lebanese economy is also affected by increased competition from foreign manufacturers, including countries from the European Union and Mediterranean region, which makes economic reconstruction and development even more difficult. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular bear the brunt. SMEs account for 95 percent of Lebanese industry, and are the country's largest employer. There is a lack of job opportunities for young adults and semi-skilled employees. At the same time, demand is growing for well-trained specialists and middle management. Education and training therefore play a key role in the Lebanon’s economic development. Like other education and training systems in the MENA region, the Lebanese system is outdated and out of touch with current practices. Vocational training is too theoretical. On the one hand, the private sector finds it difficult to recruit skilled young professionals, yet on the other, it is only prepared to play a minor role in their training. The poor public perception of vocational training for trades and industry means that young people have little interest in pursuing a career in these areas.

Objective

The number of skilled experts employed in the supported professions and qualifications has increased.

Approach

Public and private-sector institutions in Lebanon plan to work together to shape cooperative vocational training. GIZ plays a supporting role through its programme to promote the dual system, master tradespersons and small and medium enterprises (DSME programme). It advises the Ministry for Education and Higher Education and the Federation of the Chambers and works with regional chambers and associations, and with training colleges and companies.

GIZ development workers work in some of the vocational training colleges. GIZ helps Lebanon to implement the dual training system in eight occupations in industries, trades and tourism services. Together with its partners, it also provides training for master tradespersons, currently in four professions. It helps run campaigns to inform young people about the education, training and labour market, and aims to raise their interest and that of employers in vocational training for skilled occupations.

Teacher training constitutes another focus, to ensure good training standards in the long term.

GIZ brings together partners and institutions from the public and private sectors. Cooperative (dual) training can only be shaped by pulling together, making the necessary adjustments and setting the legal framework.

Expanding cooperative vocational training will increase the workload of employees in the institutions involved, to include new responsibilities, procedures and negotiation processes. GIZ trains, advises and supports personnel during this transition, to enable them to carry out their new tasks in the demand-oriented vocational training sector reliably and competently.

Context

The Palestinian vocational training system cannot provide an adequate supply of specialists for the labour market or train specialists in line with demand so that they can find work even in neighbouring countries. Moreover, given the political situation in the Palestinian territories and the conflicts in the region, the vocational training and labour market systems are not in a position to train employable workers in preparedness for a potential economic upturn.

Objective

An integrated vocational training and labour market strategy has been implemented as part of the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. Conditions for ongoing implementation and development have been created.

Young workers have the necessary skills to find employment, maintain their employability and remain active in the labour market, thereby making the Palestinian economy more competitive.

Approach

The programme is promoting integrated approaches to improve vocational training, employment and the labour market. The vocational training strategy is helping to develop, establish and put in place all the vital structures and standards required to ensure that vocational training is relevant to the labour market. New curriculums and training courses as well as modern teaching methods are leading to improved technical, social and personal skills. The resulting qualifications are transparent, geared to the requirements of the labour market, and comparable to other national and international qualifications.

In particular, the labour market strategy is helping young people find employment by matching supply to labour market needs. Using an integrated approach, the programme is supporting those institutions that offer vocational training and labour market services, and is working with various stakeholders in the vocational training sector throughout the Palestinian territories. The programme is also receiving additional support from financial cooperation with the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (DEZA).

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a federal enterprise, supporting the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. Most of its work is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

By carefully reading the tool's introduction page the user should first verify whether this tool is helpful for its specific challenge and purpose and whether s/he has sufficient resources to implement the tool. Based on this decision, s/he can follow the step-by-step instructions ("What To Do") while observing the recommendations ("What To Observe"). The materials provided in the annex can serve as inspiration and can help with the implementation of the tool.

In general, it is highly recommended to pursue an integrated approach by not only implementing one tool but combining it with a set of different tools. In particular, promotion and communication activities (such as tools presented in chapter 1 and chapter 2) should be combined with elements of job profiling, job orientation and job quality (chapter 3, chapter 4 and chapter 5). Thus, not only the image and perception of Blue Collar employment is being enhanced, but the quality of Blue Collar work places will be improved and job seekers as well as students and graduates can be better oriented towards decent Blue Collar employment opportunities based on clear job profiles. At the same time, forming partnerships (as described in chapter 7) should always be taken into consideration for better outreach and effectiveness. An electronic version of the toolbox can also be found at www.nep-egypt.com under "Promotion of Blue Collar Jobs"