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Worldwide, more young people than ever, especially young women, are participating in education and training. Despite these gains, youth unemployment remains at high levels. Additionally, businesses all over the world report serious problems in matching available talent with unfilled jobs. The webinar will present two initiatives, one by the ILO and another by BRAC, that aim at solving this and other youth employment challenges.

ILO’s quality apprenticeships model and experiences

Quality apprenticeships offer a solution that benefits everyone: improving the integration of young people into the labour market, while meeting the skills needs of enterprises. While the benefits of apprenticeship systems are not in dispute, the challenge lies in their inclusive design, coordinated implementation, and financing to ensure their sustainability and expansion, particularly in developing countries. Under the aegis of the Global Initiative on Decent Jobs for Youth, the ILO implemented the Luxembourg funded project “Support to the Global Initiative on Decent jobs for youth in the Sahel”. In Burkina Faso, the project focused on the promotion of quality apprenticeships, which are characterized by on and off the job training. The ILO's quality apprenticeship systems are based on six key building blocks: 1) robust social dialogue; 2) clear roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders; 3) strong regulatory framework; 4) equitable financing mechanisms; 5) relevance to the labour market; and 6) the inclusiveness of the system.

BRAC’s alternative learning pathways for youth

BRAC provides an alternative learning pathway for the most disadvantaged and vulnerable out-of-school adolescents in Bangladesh. It provides out-of-school adolescents with a six-month programme of training that includes on-the-job training, as well as technical and soft-skills training. It is linked to communities, job markets and to the national technical and vocational qualification framework, which means students receive an allowance and have access to formal learning pathways and certification.