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Best Practice : What Lessons can we Learn from Other Countries. Dr. Marcus Powell International Development Consultant. Best Practice: What Lessons can we Learn from Other Countries. All countries face similar challenges Globaliation impacts on the workplace
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Best Practice : What Lessons can we Learn from Other Countries Dr. Marcus PowellInternational Development Consultant
Best Practice: What Lessons can we Learn from Other Countries • All countries face similar challenges • Globaliation impacts on the workplace • Globalisation impacts differently on countries • Skills development part of the solution for dealing with globalisation
Certain conditions necessary for successful skills development • Environment that supports learning in the workplace • Synergy between economic and skills policy • A skills strategy must be based on accurate and upto date information • A commitment of social partners
What lessons can be learnt from: • South Korea (policy frameworks) • South Africa (role of information systems) • Kazakhstan (role of social partners)
Policy frameworks for life-long learning • Common approach involves using the levy grant system • Is levy grant appropriate for SMMEs? • What are the alternatives for encouraging skills development amongst SMMEs? • Lessons from South Korea
Skill formation in South Korea • One of the fastest growing economies in the world • Close link between skill strategy and trade and industrial strategy • Resulted in skills shortage • Introduction of Basic Vocational Training Act
Reform of the Basic Vocational Training Act • By 1990s problem with Act • Government reformed Act • Also introduced measures for SMMEs, including Employment Insurance Scheme and a pilot called SMME Training Consortium
Best Practice from South Korea illustrates: • Importance of linking skill strategy to industrial and trade strategy • Different skill strategy required for different sizes of companies • There is a continual need to reform the strategy in response to changing needs.
The role of information in skills planning • Accurate and upto date information is required for: Planning of policies Monitoring of policies Evaluation of policies
Manpower Planning • Tracing economic output by sector • Translating output into employment needs • Converting employment needs into occupational • Needs • Determining supply • Matching supply and demand
Limitations of Manpower Planning • Requires accurate time series data • Depends on expert knowledge • Difficult to take into account all uncertainties • Long-time lag
Alternatives to Manpower Planning • A web enabled system documenting trends • A JOI • An Econometric Forecasting model • National Survey • Qualitative approaches
Best Practice from South Africa illustrates: • Difficulties involved in manpower planning • The importance of signaling • Numerous approaches for signaling • Better to use an eclectic approach • It takes time to develop approaches
Role of Social Partners in Skills Development • What roles do social partners play in skills development ? • How they actually influence the process of skills development ? • Can this influence be negative or positive ? • Lessons from Kazakhstan
Social Partners in the former Soviet Union • Countries in Soviet Union face enormous challenge • Many of the unions very conservative • Conservative unions don’t facilitate change • How do we change circumstances to facilitate change ? • Lessons can be found from Kazakhstan
Free Trade Unions of Kazakhstan • Independent unions represent workers rights and supported the development of flexible labour market framework • Organised at local, regional and national levels • Supported other the setting up of other labour market structures
Best Practice from Kazakhstan illustrates: • The importance of linkages between independent unions, democratic institutions and labour market change • The pro-active role played by unions • The importance of democratic labour market institutions prior to embarking on a large scale reform of a training system
Concluding Comments: • Common challenges facing skills development in different countries • Importance of international best practice • There is no best approach or policy • Success depends on the articulation between the policy and local environment