Module 9 - Public-private partnerships and SSTC: a focus on skills development, including apprenticeships

a. Introductory Text
As a growing form of partnership, South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) is playing an increasingly important role in the ILO’s public-private partnerships . Southern partners, with similar experience in development, bring particularly relevant and helpful experience in assisting PPPs.
 
In this module, participants will be better able to understand the linkages between SSTC and PPP, including the promotion of skills, as well as apprenticeships. South-South cooperation (SSC) can be defined as the collaboration between two or more developing countries that is guided by the principles of solidarity and non-conditionality, aiming at implementing inclusive and distributive development models that are driven by demand and managed by the recipients. SSC is based on a fundamental premise that developing countries should identify their own needs and address them in part by acquiring new expertise, knowledge and technology from other countries of the global South that have acquired experience from traditional initiatives such as Official Development Assistance (ODA) . In this sense, SSC is a complement to North-South cooperation in a concerted effort to promote development opportunities. From an ILO perspective, SSC is a means to promote and implement the Decent Work Agenda in the context of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the 17 Goals it puts forward, in particular SDG number 8: “To promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all”. PPPs and skills development play an important role in supporting sustainable development. Skills enhances productivity and resource efficiency at the macro level. It facilitates jobseekers’ access to employment, which helps reduce poverty in a sustainable manner. Nevertheless, unequal access to skills development opportunities and modest labour market relevance of skills development leave full benefit of skills development untapped. This two-day elective module encourages the participants to discuss skills development issues through interactive peer learning sessions.
 
For example, The ILO SKILLS Branch in Geneva, the regional office for Africa, the PARTNERSHIPS Department and the International Training Centre (ITC) joined forces to promote South-South and Triangular cooperation on skills development in Africa and beyond. The SSTC Skills Forum was launched in December 2020 with a technical webinar . Also, the SSTC Skills Virtual Fair was held on 21-22 April 2021, a knowledge-building and knowledge-sharing event in a format that allowed participants to engage with top-notch experts and network with peers around topics of interest. Tripartite constituents from 34 countries from the Global South participated and discussed topics such as quality, apprenticeships, skills need anticipation, and digital skills & digital transformation.
 
This module pays particular attention to the resource constraints and a limited administrative capacity of the existing public vocational/professional education and training systems that confront many of the developing countries. Our discussions in the module therefore highlight the importance of promoting demand-driven skills training through effective and viable public-private partnership (PPP). The module demonstrates how PPP can be established and strengthened, and how SSTC can help address common challenges of skills development in the South.
b. Videos
 
 
 
d. Suggestive Questions
Think about the questions presented below. They were elaborated to encourage participants to express their views, concerns and needs. Write your answers to the questions in the discussion forum located in the bottom of the page.
 
1) What skills challenges do you face in your country? Can PPP and SSTC help address the challenges?
 
2) What can you offer to help other countries that confront skills shortages/mismatch?

Discussion Forum: ILO Academy on SSTC - Module 9

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