ILO Hosts Webinar on Skills Partnerships for Demand-Driven Labour Migration

The event explored the growing emphasis on skills partnerships and their potential to benefit all stakeholders involved in labour migration, including countries of origin, destination, migrants, and employers.

In April 2024, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa's Development (AUDA-NEPAD), hosted a webinar focused on "Skills Partnerships for Demand-Driven Labour Migration." The event explored the growing emphasis on skills partnerships and their potential to benefit all stakeholders involved in labour migration, including countries of origin, destination, migrants, and employers.

The webinar was moderated by Mr. Albert William Okal, Regional Technical Specialist for Skills Development for Labour Migration, and Ms. Zipho Tshapela, Technical Advisor for the Skills Initiative for Africa at GIZ. In his opening remarks, Mr. Okal highlighted the challenges of labour market mismatches and the limitations of traditional migration approaches. He emphasized that skills partnerships can align skills supply with labour market needs in both origin and destination countries, creating win-win scenarios through collaboration among governments, employers, workers' organizations, and training institutions.

Mr. Okal outlined key elements of successful skills partnerships, stressing the importance of anticipating skills needs to inform targeted training programs. He discussed bridging education system gaps, recognizing and valuing qualifications acquired abroad, and the necessity of pre-departure training investments for migrant success. Partnerships also support returning migrants in leveraging their skills and experiences for the benefit of their home countries.

Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki from Kenya's State Department for Labour and Skills Development described Kenya's strategy for enhancing skills partnerships. This includes empowering migrants through education and training, providing career guidance, ensuring safe migration practices, combating unethical recruitment, and promoting ethical migration. Dr. Kariuki also highlighted efforts to market Kenya's workforce internationally and establish sustainable funding sources. She emphasized integrating skills anticipation into the education system to align training programs with evolving labour market demands.

Mr. Pita Foliaki Lokotui, the Vanuatu Liaison Officer for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Scheme, shared insights into the scheme’s impact. Established in 2018, PALM addresses labour shortages in Australia's rural areas by connecting businesses with workers from Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste. The scheme provides opportunities in sectors like horticulture and offers subsidized training courses through partnerships with organizations like the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC). The program emphasizes fair recruitment practices and aims to improve worker skills, increase employer productivity, and equip migrants with valuable skills for their home countries.

Key takeaways from the webinar highlighted the effectiveness of skills partnerships in addressing labour market challenges by aligning skills development with the needs of both origin and destination countries. This collaborative strategy involves various stakeholders and helps close skills gaps, recognize migrant qualifications, and enhance workforce integration. Skills partnerships also enable returning migrants to contribute to economic development in their home countries, fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth, thereby nurturing a cycle of shared prosperity across borders.