Worker Skills Development Tools Enhanced at Manila Conference

The importance of identifying existing skills potential in local communities, making use of new technologies and creating business partnerships to help increase employment opportunities were key topics for discussion at a recent APEC conference in the Philippines.

Held in Manila on September 17-19, the "Innovations in Human Resource and Economic Development: Ensuring Sustainable Growth in the 21st Century" conference brought together 135 human resource and economic development experts with leaders from government, business, education, and civil society.

Conference attendees discussed ways to increase the capacity of workers in developing areas to improve their access to employment and improve their skill levels.

The APEC Labor and Social Protection Network Coordinator, Mr. Chris Watson, said participants would have taken away a number of important tools and strategies for implementation in their areas such as procedures for the resource mapping of local skills.

"An essential part of creating employment opportunities is to make a concerted effort to document the range of existing skills held by people in local communities," Mr. Watson said.

"This workforce analysis makes it easier for local authorities to match skills with employment opportunities while identifying where additional training might be required."

Mr. Watson said the workshop also provided resources to assist local authorities to take advantage of new technologies and build partnerships with business.

"Technological advances have made it easier to deliver education and training to people in local communities regardless of where they are located around the globe.

"Participants at the conference were provided with resources for developing innovative strategies for using technology to access education and training programs for their people.

"The conference also identified opportunities for building collaborative partnerships between businesses and local communities to train workers and foster local entrepreneurship.

"Partnerships with business can be customized to serve the particular economic challenges and opportunities that exist in each region.

These challenges might include the development of skills to supply new industries and training workers for jobs that are in-demand from existing business activities. Often there is a need for the development of local small businesses to supply goods and services to larger industry, but these local start-ups might need entrepreneurial guidance and support."

In all of the areas covered at the conference, participants were able to take the opportunity to learn from strategies that have worked in other economies and to exchange ideas that will help to refine and enhance workforce development programs. For more information on the conference sessions and presentations, go to www.dtiassociates.com/apec

The conference was hosted by the United States Department of Labor in cooperation with the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment.