Skills Gaps in Two Manufacturing Subsectors in Sri Lanka


Book Description

Persistent skills shortages have constrained new investments and economic growth in Sri Lanka. This study assesses the skills deficit in two priority sectors—food and beverages, and electronics and electricals. It recommends supply-side responses to increase the quantity and quality of labor in these areas. The recommendations include raising awareness among young people about the sectors' employment potential, upgrading courses, providing professional development for instructors, and establishing collaborations between businesses and training institutes.




The Governance of Labour Administration


Book Description

Focusing on public administration activities in the field of national labour policy, this timely book provides detailed analyses of labour administration reforms, innovations and challenges in different countries, including detailed case studies from Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the US.




Building the Skills for Economic Growth and Competitiveness in Sri Lanka


Book Description

This book examines skills demand and supply in Sri Lanka, and offers insightful analysis of the education and training system, and its responsiveness to changes in demand for skills. The book also provides suggestions on how the skills development system can be improved to better achieve Sri Lanka s development goals.







Education and Skills for Inclusive Growth, Green Jobs and the Greening of Economies in Asia


Book Description

This book presents an overview of the main research findings and case studies concerning education and skills for inclusive growth, green jobs and the greening of economies. Focusing on India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam, it discusses government and business sector responses to these issues and how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems and institutions are addressing both the renewal of curricula in the context of green growth dynamics, and patterns of training and skills development to meet demands. In addition, the book examines cross-country issues, concerns and prospects regarding education and skills for inclusive growth and green jobs for the four countries. These include critical themes and issues in the selected industry sectors triggering a demand for green jobs in the region; how industry is responding to those demands; areas impeding the transition from traditional to green practices; the importance of skills development; the role of TVET in addressing industry needs; and reasons for the slow response of TVET to green skills.While other studies conducted in Asia – and internationally - on the same topic have largely relied on secondary sources, this study conducted by the Asian Development Bank and the Education University of Hong Kong (ADB-EdUHK) is unique in that the findings, conclusions and recommendations reported on are based on primary data. As part of the study, TVET providers, business enterprises, policy makers and practitioners were surveyed using questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. In addition, workshops were held in each of the four countries to ascertain the views of key stakeholders in government, nongovernment organisations, members of the international development community, TVET providers and members of the business sector.The book also provides summaries of the case studies undertaken for India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam.




From Jobs to Careers


Book Description

An oft-cited strategy to advance economic development is to further integrate developing countries into global trade, particularly through global value chains, bolstered by the expansion of female-intensive industries to bring more women into the formal labor force. As a result, a frequent debate centers on whether the apparel industry--the most female-intensive and globally engaged manufacturing industry--can be a key player in this strategy. In recent decades, the apparel industry has shifted production to low-wage developing countries, increasing the demand for women, closing male-female wage gaps, and bringing women into the formal labor force from agriculture and informal work. But is an apparel-led export strategy sufficient to induce a broader transition from jobs women do to survive to careers promising stable employment and a sense of identity? 'From Jobs to Careers' answers this question by focusing on seven countries where apparel plays a vital role in their export baskets--Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Arab Republic of Egypt, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Vietnam. It finds that the apparel industry indeed can serve as a launching pad to bring more women into the labor market. For this approach to work, however, complementary policies must tackle the barriers that hinder women's pursuit of long-term workforce participation and better-paid occupations. Key policy recommendations include increasing the participation of female production workers in export-oriented apparel manufacturing and associated industries, upgrading within manufacturing-related industries, boosting access to education, and breaking glass ceilings. The report also seeks to shift the paradigm of how we think of women in the labor force by stressing the importance of their transition from jobs to careers--the so-called 'quiet revolution.'




Shadows of Conflict in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka


Book Description

This volume summarizes a series of studies undertaken to better understand the current socioeconomic context of the Northern and Eastern provinces in Sri Lanka. Nearly a decade after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, the Northern and Eastern provinces lag in key social and economic measures. The study was made up of six background studies focused on (i) the provincial economies and economic structures of the North and East; (ii) labor force dynamics; (iii) demographic changes and impacts on vulnerability; (iv) the psychosocial needs of the local population; (v) community and social institutions; and (vi) livelihood trends and impacts of the war on productive assets. These studies were informed by both primary data collection, as well as secondary data sources and literature. The key findings from the assessment show that significant public investments in the Northern and Eastern provinces have resulted in growth and convergence between these provinces and the rest of the country. However, pockets of poverty and deprivation remain across these provinces, and the economic base of the region has yet to fully recover from the impacts of the civil war. Social vulnerabilities were persistent across the Northern and Eastern provinces, and were closely linked with poverty rates. With the demographic impacts of the war, vulnerabilities for women are growing in the region. There was a high rate of psychosocial needs recorded, and evidence that the social fabric has not been fully restored since the war. Citizen engagement, trust, and accountability remain important priorities, alongside economic revival, job creation, and restoring the social fabric and local institutions.




Gender Issues in Technical and Vocational Education Programs


Book Description

As the economic growth and social development of a nation is reliant on its workforce, it is essential to increase the workforce’s employability through technical and vocational education. Through these programs, the nation’s workers will be able to acquire skills and flexibility in order to navigate across sectors of the economy and industry. However, due to gender disparities and socioeconomic statuses within society, women from a lower economic background are unable to gain access to these programs, hindering their career development and economic independence. Gender Issues in Technical and Vocational Education Programs is an essential critical resource that probes the issue of gender equity in specialized educational programs, such as vocational or technical education programs. It also presents global initiatives that are being undertaken to enhance the access to technical and vocational education programs to all citizens. Divided into two sections, this publication provides comprehensive coverage on understanding human resource skilling through vocational and training programs and promoting gender equity through skill development, making it an ideal resource for academicians, researchers, social scientists, educators, policymakers, government officials, and professionals.




Manufacturing and Jobs in South Asia


Book Description

This book analyzes the structural factors that underlie the persistent mass poverty and extreme inequality in South Asian countries. It highlights the fact that the supposed trade-off between output growth and job creation is a false dilemma. Growth can create jobs, and jobs can drive growth, mutually reinforcing one another. Increased employment and better jobs would mitigate the problems arising from a widening inequality gap. The book argues that policies focused on employment generation, mostly through industrialization, are the way forward in terms of providing livelihoods, sustaining growth and reducing inequality. The book is divided into two main parts. Part A explores cases in selected countries in South Asia in detail, primarily focusing on the opportunities and challenges of job creation in the manufacturing sector, as well as related issues, including constraints on manufacturing-sector growth in South Asia, exports and trade linkages, participation in value chains and the role of investment. In turn, Part B addresses a number of aspects that can promote a deeper understanding of strategies for industrialization and employment creation in the South Asian context, including regional cooperation, skill development, and industrial competitiveness. Gathering contributions from some of the region’s top minds, this book is of interest to scholars, researchers, policymakers and industry analysts alike.




Challenges to the Global Trading System


Book Description

In this book, the participants of the thirtieth Pacific Trade and Development Conference debate whether global negotiations have ended once and for all, or are suffering temporarily from ‘globalization fatigue'.