Bill Ratteree ILO

EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL EUROPEAN REGION Vocational Education and Training Round Table

21-22 October 2009, Budapest

ILO Objective: Decent Work for AllProductive work in conditions of

freedom, equity, security and human dignity

Four interlocking pillars

1. Rights at work2. Productive employment3. Social protection4. Social Dialogue: Information

sharing, consultation, negotiation

Global Employment Agenda

Decent Work Country Programmes promote employment in several areas, including:

Skills, technology & employabilitySkills, technology & employability

Labour market institutions & Labour market institutions & policiespolicies

Social protectionSocial protection

Skills component of Decent WorkKey international standard:

Recommendation No. 195 on Human Resources Development: Education, training and lifelong learning

Adopted by the International Labour Conference in June 2004 - provides guidance to constituents; basis for sharing good practices & promote cooperation

R-195: Key ILO policy objectives Education, training and lifelong

learning are fundamental... but insufficient to help individuals gain decent jobs.

Training and skills development must form an integral part of broad economic, social and labour market policies - sustain economic and job growth and social development.

Training and skills development policies should promote equal opportunities for women and men and help eradicate poverty.

R-195 - shared responsibilitiesGovernments - primary responsibility for

education pre-employment training, core skills training unemployed & people w/

special needs

Social partners - significant role in further training workplace learning and training

Individuals - expected to make use of education, training & lifelong learning opportunities

Conclusions from International Labour Conference 2008

Skills development to help increase productivity and employment:

• Innovate

• Adopt new technologies

• Attract investment

• Compete in new markets

• Diversify the economy

Boost job growth at the same time improving productivity

Skills & development process: Prepare for future jobs jobs

Integrate skills into national and sector development strategies

Include skills in responses to global drivers of change:• technology• trade• climate change

Develop more social inclusiveness:• Rural communities• Informal economies in poor countries – move to

formal• Disadvantaged youth: education, apprenticeships• Persons with disabilities

• Women in all groups

Skills and the current crisis – ILC 2009 GLOBAL JOBS PACT

Investing in skills development now: Prepare displaced workers for new jobs

available in the recovery “Build back better” - use downtime to

invest in new skills or upgrade skill levels for enterprise productivity in the recovery

Avoid skills gaps in implementing public investments in infrastructure, green technologies and social services included in stimulus packages

Teachers & Trainers - Roles, Rights & Responsibilities No specific ILO work on teachers and

trainers – considered integrated in:

International standards - 1966 Recommendation for secondary & 1997 Recommendation for post-secondary

Monitoring & promotional work Joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts (CEART) – 10th Session in Paris in early Oct.

The CEART’s 10th Session

Teaching status is not improving & shortages continue to challenge EFA goals

VET teachers face many of same problems & policy responses need to deal with: Teacher shortages: Combination of

employment conditions makes teaching less attractive = recruitment & retention problems

Continued, long-term decline teachers’ salaries compared to similar professions

The CEART’s 10th Session - 2 More difficult teaching & learning

environment – pupil indiscipline & violence undermines teacher morale & learning outcomes

Teachers’ voices in education decision-making – social dialogue - improved in some countries but remains weak in many countries and regions – need for more political acceptance of unions and institutional capacity to dialogue

Recommendations defend rights & promote responsibilities

The 1966 Recommendation: educational objectives & policies -

consultation teacher education - initial and further employment and career rights and responsibilities - negotiations effective teaching and learning

conditions teachers’ salaries social security

Applies equally to VET teachers in schools & training sites

Recommendations defend rights & promote responsibilities

The 1997 Recommendation focuses on: institutional autonomy and responsibilities academic freedom and professor’s obligations security of employment and tenure careers and conditions of work for teaching &

research staff conditions for part-time, female & other staff collegial decision-making & collective

negotiations

Applies equally to all TAFE teachers at post-secondary level

Monitoring & promoting

Joint ILO/UNESCO Committee of Experts (CEART) meets every three years to review trends & recommend policy changes to Govts, other education authorities

EI direct input to CEART meetings – major report prepared for each session

Recommendations - Making effective use of “soft standards”

ILO: 2009 Programme on VET teachers & trainers Research & policy dialogue forum

with Govts & private employers in ILO focusing on employment and the working environment + larger lifelong learning framework & VET

Advisory body mtg. for education & research to decide on terms of reference on 4 Nov. – EI member affiliates represent workers