Establish sector skills bodies

Rwanda (ILO News) The International Labor Organization (ITCILO) Training Center, ACTEMP, the International Labor Organization Skills Department and the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE) organized a workshop to discuss the establishment of Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs) in seven countries, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania and Zambia.

The workshop took place in Nairobi, Kenya on May 14-15 and aimed to address three important questions: what are SSBs, why are they important and how to set them up. Event participants saw the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises as a potential solution to the problem of skills mismatch, youth unemployment and lack of productivity in the labor market. Additionally, participants agreed that a multi-stakeholder approach bringing together industry associations, employers, labor movements, relevant government bodies and academic institutions would be most effective in implementing SSB.

In her opening remarks, Dr. Wanjiru Kariuki, Secretary of the Kenya State Department of Labor and Skills Development, emphasized the need to promote demand-driven education and training, which in turn will ensure better transitions into the labor market. Discussing the case of Kenya, she stressed that the government mandates the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to promote decent work, skills development and the creation of sustainable jobs. The National Guidelines for Sector Skills Committees have therefore been developed to help achieve sustainable economic growth and prosperity.

During a discussion on the creation of Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs), Carmel Marock, Research Fellow at the Research Center for Education and Work (REAL) at the University of the Witwatersrand, shared insights from the South African experience. She stressed the importance of focusing on sectors that are aligned with development priorities and offer significant employment opportunities. Referring to the Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in South Africa, she noted: SETAs with a narrower scope tend to be more effective because they ensure that the employer’s voice is heard and their needs are met.

For example, in the SETA manufacturing sector, which covered a wide range of sub-sectors, employers felt distant from the decision-making process. In response, SETAs have created smaller, sector-specific spaces to provide directly involved constituents with the opportunity to engage and have their voices heard. This was a key lesson for South Africa.”

Participants had the opportunity to discuss the state of sector skills boards (SSBs) in their countries. Speaking on behalf of Uganda, Jeanne Byamugisha, CEO of the Uganda Hotel Owners Association, highlighted the urgent issues that need to be addressed through SSB. She said:

“Uganda, like many African countries, has a very young population, with approximately 80% under the age of 20. SSBs could help tackle the serious challenge of youth unemployment. In addition, there is the problem of outdated teaching programs that do not meet the needs of the labor market. We therefore need a board composed of industry representatives to approve curricula, ensuring quality and better absorption of students into the labor market.”

Discussing the risks associated with establishing Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs), Kennedy Edward Mollel, CEO of the Hotel Association of Tanzania (HAT), identified five key challenges: “Firstly, establishing these bodies is time-consuming and requires extensive involvement from key partners and leadership various legislative processes. Second, there are significant cost implications, which raises questions about whether employers, government or workers will bear these costs. Third, there is often a lack of expertise in specific sectors. In this case, the lack of policy will hinder progress. Finally, there is a risk of insufficient resources and financing, both in terms of financial support and human capital.”

For the ILO, Skills and Lifelong Learning Specialist Alice Vozza stressed the importance of identifying specific issues before establishing Sector Skills Bodies (SSBs). She said: “Various issues such as unemployment, lack of productivity, skills mismatch, industry competitiveness and informality affect the skills system at the national level. These factors should be taken into account when defining the scope of work of small and medium-sized enterprises. Furthermore, it should be taken into account that SSBs are not a one-size-fits-all solution due to the dynamic nature of labor market needs, although SSBs are important, a comprehensive strategy involving different stakeholders and approaches is needed to effectively address these issues.

The event brought together international experts, private sector representatives, government officials, industry associations and employers’ and entrepreneurs’ membership organizations (EBMOs) to share best practices from countries that have successfully established sector skills bodies (SSBs) and discuss the current state of SSBs in represented countries. During the last session of the two-day workshop, delegates had the opportunity to present national action plans for the creation of SSBs over the next six months. ILO specialists and technical experts will support the implementation of these action plans through ongoing projects in the countries represented.

The participation of Rwandan delegates was made possible thanks to the generous funding by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the ILO project on creating decent jobs and upskilling youth in the country’s digital economy