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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

SOUTH-SOUTH AND TRIANGULAR COOPERATION IN VOCATIONAL TRAINING NOWADAYS AND

BEYOND 2015 41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor

Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July 2013

Final Report

Introduction

The 41st Technical Committee Meeting (TCM) of ILO/Cinterfor was held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago in the premises of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. It counted with the co-sponsorship of the ILO Office for the Caribbean, the Government of Trinidad & Tobago through the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training (TEST), and the National Training Agency (NTA/T&T), presently Head of the Caribbean Association of National Training Agencies (CANTA). The Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development also supported this event. The country’s strategic importance in the Caribbean and its social and economic development constituted an appropriate framework for the discussions, which were centred on South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in Vocational Training.

Members of the ILO Governing Body, executives of Vocational Training Institutions (VTIs), representatives of Ministries of Labour and Education and of organizations of employers and workers, national and international observers and Officers of the ILO, participated in the meeting. Twenty-seven countries of Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain, and 120 assistants were present.

The third edition of the Knowledge Fair took place, mainly aimed at disseminating and sharing good practices in training, as well as teaching resources and products from the institutions of the ILO/Cinterfor Network.

Opening Ceremony The ceremony was presided by Fazal Karim, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training from Trinidad and Tobago; Carl A. Francis, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour; Kelvin Mahabir, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NTA; Myrna Bernard, member of the Directorate of Human and Social Development of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); Gerardina González, ILO Deputy Regional Director for the Americas and the Caribbean; and Giovanni di Cola, ILO Director of the Office for the Caribbean. The following are the summaries of their interventions:

Kelvin Mahabir congratulated the Technical Meeting of the ILO/Cinterfor held in his country, and highlighted the opportunities offered by the ILO/Cinterfor Network to interact with dozens of VTIs, contributing to the training knowledge management and increasing the opportunities of access to better paid jobs with decent working conditions. He brought up the need to improve vocational training and to respond to the demand of ever-increasing skills, both from workers and entrepreneurs.

Myrna Bernard underlined the importance of the 41st TCM and the efforts of the ILO for its fulfilment in the Caribbean, as well as the relevance of the SSTC for the continuous development of vocational training. She indicated the urgency to increase youth employability, especially through actions that integrate training with secondary education. She made an

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

emphasis on the positive results of the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) and offered to share it with the whole region.

Giovanni di Cola pointed out that thanks to this Technical Meeting, important events in Port of Spain were shared, such as: the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and of the creation of ILO/Cinterfor; preceded by the 8th Meeting of Caribbean Labour Ministers, organized by the ILO and the 37th Meeting of Heads of Government of CARICOM.

Gerardina González, on behalf of the ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, and of the Regional Director, Elizabeth Tinoco, reminded that ILO/Cinterfor originated as a cooperation agreement between the countries of the region, centred on vocational training, a field of fundamental concern for the ILO. Half a century later, vocational training institutions, governments, employers' and workers' organizations actively participate in carrying out its mission, constituting the source and core axis of the activities of the Centre.

Gerardina González highlighted that the 41st TCM’s agenda responds to both the priorities of VTIs and the challenges that the region must face in terms of vocational training, such as: high youth and women unemployment rates, demand of new and complex skills and the need of permanent updating. She indicated that the sustained dialogue between employers and workers, the coordination between governmental institutions, the information about the labour market, the employment services and the evaluations are fundamental elements to be able to accurately identify the needs of basic and technical training. Lastly, she committed to giving the Regional Office’s support in order to follow up on the initiatives that arise.

Carl Francis welcomed all the participants of fellow countries; he congratulated ILO/Cinterfor on its half a century anniversary and noted its happy coincidence with Trinidad and Tobago’s independence, member of the ILO since then. He indicated that this is an ideal occasion to reflect on the country’s achievements in terms of strategies to progress and to improve the living standards and the welfare of its citizens; as well as on Cinterfor’s job, as a coordinator of the Network of training institutions, in the dissemination of knowledge, experiences and good practices, particularly in times in which the global economy presents new challenges and needs to overcome the crisis. He mentioned the importance of vocational training for the countries’ social and economic growth, as shown by the large attendance in the 41st TCM. He went back to the views of the Minister of Labour, Errol McLeod, during the 102nd Session of the International Labour Conference: “There can be no development without labour and no labour without development”, and shared the main areas agreed by the Ministers of Labour of the Caribbean countries during their last meeting. These were: to create an enabling environment to increase labour productivity; to focus the attention on initial and continuous training; to enhance technical and vocational education and training; to reform the education curriculum and increase the focus on entrepreneurship, mathematics, and other elements of science and technology; and to encourage the participation of social partners through social dialogue. Lastly, he mentioned that the Ministers of Labour requested support from the ILO and the CARICOM Secretariat, for the formulation of regional labour policies that contemplate issues such as human resource development, green jobs, productivity improvement, and active employment and training policies. This TCM therefore constitutes a favourable scenario to link approaches with practices that will help to carry out the mentioned objective.

Fazal Karim emphasized the permanent commitment of his country’s government to education and to formal and informal training, as a means for the long term strategy of achieving sustainable development. He acknowledged the responsibility with which ILO/Cinterfor, during these 50 years, has carried out its mission, leading to a significant transformation, not only in vocational and technical education in numerous countries, but also in the life of millions of

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

citizens around the world. He highlighted that the purpose of this conference is to focus on the SSTC in vocational training. In this sense, developing countries have been able to demonstrate their potential and their commitment to creativity, their entrepreneurial spirit and their leadership. In the last years, scientific progress and social transformation tools have emerged from their own institutions and investigation centres, thus demonstrating that developing countries, united, have the potential to answer their own questions and those of others.

He also emphasized that technical vocational training is known to be a key element to cope with some of the socioeconomic problems that affect all countries, and that it is a tool to empower citizens, reduce poverty, and cope with the shortage of employment and the mismatch between the skills and the requirements of the productive sector. In fact, internationally speaking, there are 75 million unemployed youth, that is, 12.6 percent of the world youth, and at the same time, only 43 percent of the employers indicate that there are enough qualified candidates to fill the vacancies. How can we continue investing in education when, after 5 years of study, the person cannot get a job? There are enterprises that cannot find qualified workers when billions of dollars continue being invested in promoting industries. In the meantime, young people around the world grow up surrounded by frustration and lack of opportunities. He underlined that there is a critical need to adjust the educational system to the industries’ requirements in order to guarantee that those who study will be prepared for a real job. Trinidad and Tobago is already taking measures regarding this.

Minister Karim insisted on the need to recognize technical and vocational training as a valid and valuable means to help people enter or return to the labour market, and said that efforts should be made to deal with these ambitious challenges. He ended by stating that the TCM of the ILO/Cinterfor is the world discussion forum regarding vocational training and that it plays a significant role in the development of more equitable and sustainable societies.

Knowledge Fair: South-South and Triangular Cooperation in Vocational Training

Several cooperation agreements were formalized:

• Agreement for the formation of the Prospective Network, starting from the first Transfer Programme of the SENAI Prospective Model. Said agreement was signed by: SENAI from Brazil, INA from Costa Rica, INSAFORP from El Salvador, INTECAP from Guatemala, INADEH from Panama, INFOTEP from the Dominican Republic and ILO/Cinterfor.

• Interest was shown for the participation in the second Transfer Programme of the SENAI Prospective Model, which will take place in 2014. It was signed by: the Bishopric of Morón of Argentina, INFOCAL Foundation from Bolivia, SENAR from Brazil, UTU and INEFOP from Uruguay, SENAI from Brazil and ILO/Cinterfor.

• Cooperation agreement to share Learning Objects (LOs), through which the institutions expressed their will to join SENAC, SENAI, SEBRAE from Brazil, DuocUC from Chile and ILO/Cinterfor in the job they have been doing, in order to develop together a tool that enables them to share LOs. The INFOCAL Foundation and the FAUTAPO Foundation from Bolivia, INA from Costa Rica, Interfases from Chile, SECAP from Ecuador and ICAM from México adhered to it.

• Cooperation agreement between the NTA and ILO/Cinterfor, with the purpose of articulating and cooperating for the skills development in Latin America and the Caribbean to obtain decent work.

Panel on Social Dialogue and South-South and Triangular Cooperation in vocational training Julio Roberto Gómez Esquerra and Alberto Echavarría Saldarriaga participated in this panel as Workers' Representative and Employers' Representative of the ILO Governing Body, respectively; and Shanmatee Ng Sang in representation of the Ministry of Labour and Small and

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

Micro Enterprise Development from Trinidad and Tobago. Gerardina González was in charge of the moderation. The speakers talked about the ILO’s strategy to promote the SSTC within the framework of the technical cooperation programme. Said strategy is a means to meet the Organization’s objectives and a way to make the most of ILO’s singular advantage, that is, the experience and the knowledge of its tripartite constituents, as an effective way to foster skills development, the exchange of knowledge, experiences and good practices, and interregional cooperation. They expressed that ILO/Cinterfor has been a pioneer and precursor of the SSTC in vocational training, as recognized by the ILO Governing Body in several opportunities. They gave great value to the Network of VTIs coordinated by the Centre, thanks to which knowledge, experiences and good training practices are spread as well as human resource development for the promotion of decent and productive work. They stated that thanks to the Network, special importance is given to the transmission and awareness of the need for mutual collaboration and knowledge management. This is reflected in the large number of formulas and practical solutions to which the countries can access through their VTIs. The moderator noted that a high percentage of companies have trouble finding workers with the required skills since there is a mismatch between the supply and demand of qualifications. She also mentioned the productive and competitive lagging of Latin America and the Caribbean compared to other regions. Alberto Echavarría highlighted the need for having quality and relevant basic universal education and vocational training that responds to the needs of the labour market, in order to contribute to the entry of the youth into the working life, stressing the companies’ commitment to human talent development. He pointed out a series of challenges such as a significant improvement in the quality of education, according to international standards, to enable knowledge and skills accreditation as well as the permanent updating in entrepreneurship, bilingualism, engineering and other areas related to technological aspects. He recognized the need to facilitate the exchanges between institutions, both of trainers and trainees; to promote the dual training system, public-private cooperation and social dialogue, and to strengthen the existing institutionalization of the region. Julio Roberto Gómez mentioned the limited social impact of globalization, regardless of the declarations and decisions adopted in international forums such as the ILO Global Jobs Pact, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the G20 commitments, or the Decent Work Country Programmes, signed by the tripartite actors in Latin America and the Caribbean. He considered that although the region has obtained positive results in the last year in the MDGs, there are still important disparities and it continues to be the most uneven region of the world. Furthermore, he stressed that every country should help Haiti. In relation to the SSC in Vocational Training, coordinated by ILO/Cinterfor, and particularly to technological and occupational prospective, it is necessary to associate the countries’ studies with their development strategies. Lastly, he said that instruments such as this Centre are increasingly necessary and should become stronger, and agreed with Alberto Echavarría on the need for bilingual education. Shanmatee NG Sang emphasized that the new ways of labour organization have an impact on the workers’ skills, fundamental to increase competitiveness of both countries and companies. She also highlighted the need to promote social inclusion and economic growth. Regarding new challenges in vocational training, she stated that there is an increasing demand to: relate the education with the labour market; train trainers and improve their skills and those of the VTI executives; maintain a consistent development policy, beyond government changes; have monitoring and evaluation systems; harmonize the curriculum to respond to the demand; strengthen social partners and social dialogue.

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

Panel on the outcomes of the transfer of the SENAI Prospective Model The transfer programme of the SENAI Prospective Model started in May 2012 with five institutions: INA from Costa Rica, INSAFORP from El Salvador, INTECAP from Guatemala, INADEH from Panama and INFOTEP from Dominican Republic. During 14 months, three face-to-face meetings were organized, sponsored by INSAFORP (May 2012 and April 2013) and by INA (November 2012). Also, a distance learning community composed by officials from these VTIs, SENAI and ILO/Cinterfor joined efforts. Participating institutions made prospective studies in the construction and tourism sectors.

In this panel, members of INA, INFOTEP, INSAFORP and INTECAP presented the outcomes of the transfer of the SENAI Prospective Model. INADEH from Panama was in charge of moderation while SENAI contributed with comments.

SENAI's representative introduced the Model and every VTI presented the technologies and the occupational impacts that were identified, the recommendations of every prospective study, the implementation and adaptations done to the model.

Participants of the TCM received the document: Skills anticipation. The Transfer of the SENAI Prospective Model. The formation of a Prospective Network among ILO/Cinterfor member VTIs was suggested and several institutions agreed to this, as has been mentioned above.

The programme's resources and prospective studies are available at: http://evc.oitcinterfor.org/course/view.php?id=22

Panel on Learning Objects (LOs) and skills development

The document Contributions to the debate on Learning Objects for skills development, which is the result of collective work done by the VTIs of the ILO/Cinterfor's Network, was presented in this panel. In fact, between August and October 2012, the Centre conducted a survey on LOs which was replied by 25 institutions. Their answers made it possible to achieve a general overview of the concept. At the behest of SENAC and ILO/Cinterfor, SENAI, SEBRAE and SENAC from Brazil, DuocUC from Chile, INA from Costa Rica, SENA from Colombia and INTECAP from Guatemala shared their experiences and identified conceptual and methodological coincidences. At the same time, a software tool has been designed that will allow the Network's VTIs to share the LOs they host in their repositories.

The exchanges and documents of this collective knowledge building can be found in ILO/Cinterfor's virtual space: http://evc.oitcinterfor.org/course/view.php?id=44

The panel, integrated by representatives of SENAI and SENAC, DuocUC, INA and INTECAP, was moderated by the Centro Paula Souza from Brazil and comments were made by INFOCAL from Bolivia. The following were the main conclusions:

• An LO is a digital or non-digital resource, which is independent and reusable, preferably interactive, produced for learning and to contribute to the development of competencies.

• VTIs have always used teaching resources, many of which have the same characteristics of LOs.

• New ICTs and their broad dissemination have facilitated the development and use of LOs.

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

THEMATIC EVENINGS

This space was created to share innovative experiences; approaches and practices developed by the institutions of the Network around four areas: Information and Communication Technologies and Productivity; Sustainable Enterprise Development; Employability and Social Inclusion.

Panel on Information and Communication Technologies and productivity

Moderated by SENCE of Chile, three experiences were presented: Improving productivity of SMEs of ICAM, Mexico, Rural Digital Inclusion of SENAR, Brazil, and Distance Learning National Network of SENAC, Brazil.

The ICAM developed an IT platform which allows the scaling of the SIMAPRO1 project, ensuring standardization and process quality. Among other things, this platform enables to administer and manage the project, to supervise and validate the progress through evidence, to evaluate the working environment and online functional and tractor areas, to check results by enterprise, by sector, by site and globally, thus allowing entrepreneurs and workers to make a comparative analysis of their data.

The results of the use of ICT by ICAM have shown that the daily use of the management, communication and learning platform have enhanced the skills in the use of ICTs by consultants, entrepreneurs, leaders and workers. Likewise, the implementation of improvements in SMEs has increased; processes and the quality of products have been standardized and this has led to the growth of these enterprises. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/tic_icam_en.pdf

The aim of the Digital Inclusion programme of SENAR is to provide people from rural areas with knowledge on how to use the computer, access the internet and search for the information they need to obtain better results in managing their business. There are 99 rooms installed in 24 states. SENAR has a Distance Learning portal in order to contribute to the training and professionalization of people from rural areas and therefore increase the profitability of their businesses and ensure environmental sustainability. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/tic_senar_eng.pdf

Finally, SENAC presented the National Distance Education Network which was created in order to expand the nationwide vocational training offer. By means of several distance education methodologies and resources attuned to the expectations of workers and employers, educational actions are consistent and significant for the development and improvement of labour skills. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/senac_tic_en.pdfhttp://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/tic_senar_eng.pdf

The most relevant conclusions of these presentations are:

• Training on ICTs (in order to learn how to use these technologies) and ICT-based training (in order to develop other skills in a flexible and convenient way) are two key aspects in the

1 System for Integrated Measurement and Improvement of Productivity, ILO (http://www.oitcinterfor.org/en/productividad/simapro)

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

success of people and enterprises. VTIs must take full advantage of these resources and use them in an appropriate way.

• The incorporation of ICTs has been consolidated by the execution of programmes implemented by VTIs. Their use has promoted the interaction with participants, both of workers and enterprises.

• VTIs have enabled to increase productivity in many sectors of the majority of economies. Regarding skills and human resources development, ICTs have had different effects. On the one hand, they have demanded higher levels of qualifications and offered the means to establish more decentralized and less routine production and service systems. On the other hand, they have promoted the expansion of production by enabling the incorporation of more people with new qualifications into the labour market.

• The low productivity of the region requires urgent measures. Inclusive growth strategies are based on human resources development to enable their incorporation into the labour market and have a positive impact on the increase of productivity and competitiveness.

Panel on Sustainable Enterprise Development

A favourable environment for the creation and growth or transformation of enterprises on a sustainable basis combines the legitimate search for income, one of the main engines of economic growth, with the need for development which respects human dignity, environmental sustainability and decent work. This holistic approach fosters development and creates more and better jobs, encouraging social integration and reducing poverty.

The experiences shared belonged to: SNA Educa from Chile on rural training, at medium and higher education levels; INA from Costa Rica related to the promotion of entrepreneurial skills; the Centre for Environmental Technologies of SENATI from Peru; Complementary initiatives for SMEs from the Tripartite Foundation for Training in Employment and the CIDEC from Spain; and the Energy Industry Competency Development Initiative (EICDI) of the Energy Chamber from Trinidad and Tobago. The panel was moderated by CETP/UTU from Uruguay.

The programme presented by SNA started in August 2012. It has trained 10,000 students and graduates’ employment rate is 93.5 percent. It aims at supporting agricultural and farming training and education in the medium and higher levels, in coordination with forestry, agriculture and farming enterprises which employ modern technologies. Training is free for educators. Furthermore, it works in coordination with educational institutions devoted to training in agriculture and livestock that may require their teachers to be constantly up to date as far as technology is concerned. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/SNA%20Educa.pdf

INA referred, in general terms, to its strategy towards strengthening entrepreneurial skills, which is the cross-curricular theme in the institution’s training programmes. Based on successful experiences, there was a description of lessons learned: the design of a specific offer aiming at the promotion of undertakings and the strengthening of SMEs; service methods attractive to businessmen and the use of ICTs and converging media such as the radio, television, and the written press; the execution of specific projects and resource management; participation of multidisciplinary teams following a holistic approach; conducting prospective studies, research and evaluation; to get to know the needs of the enterprises, regions and the impact of actions. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/INA_sp.pdf

The Centre for Environmental Technologies is a trilateral cooperation project between the SENATI (Peru), the Brazilian Cooperation Agency and the SENAI (Brazil) and the German Cooperation (GIZ), aiming at carrying out training programmes, technical services and research applied to the environment and energy efficiency. In September 2012, the degree of Technician in Environmental Technologies was offered for the first time through dual training. It included

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

partial certificates for technicians in environmental monitoring and operation of water treatment plants, and integrated management system assistant. Apart from lifelong training in environmental issues, it also offers consultancy in the same field. It is in the process of implementing the specialization on communitarian environmental monitoring and it is coming up with the design of specializations on environmental quality monitoring and eco-efficiency. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/senati_eng.pdf

The Tripartite Foundation for Training in Employment and the CIDEC presented the results of the Training Survey to Micro Enterprises (which employ between one and four workers) in order to learn about their behaviour regarding training and needs in this respect. Concerning the methodology implementation, it was established that there was a need for an approach that included diverse methods: post, web and telephone, being the latter the most appropriate in order to gather information; the importance enterprises attach to training quality, in spite of the low level of participation attributable to workload, complexity of public assistance and high cost. On the other hand, the importance of specific, practical and technical training was highlighted, as well as other aspects related to cost comparison among larger microenterprises. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/FTFE_english.pdf

The Energy Chamber and the National Training Agency of Trinidad and Tobago are carrying out a joint initiative for the development of workers’ skills, which responds to the demand derived from the rapid growth of the sector as from 1990 and the shortage of adequately qualified personnel. The Agency and an approved Centre participate in management as external verifiers; and the Centre itself and the candidates to be assessed as internal verifiers. The results of this collaborative effort have been absolutely positive, among which: 30 enterprises working towards becoming approved centres, over 300 candidates having completed the initial phase to become training assessors and other 100 already certified. Customized standards have been developed to meet the needs of the sector. At the same time, challenges arise, among which, the need to motivate assessors to conduct their assessment; seasonal cycles typical of the industrial sector itself make it difficult to retain qualified workers; the highly competitive labour market, both local and international and the need to allocate governmental resources to on-the-job training. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/energychamber_en.pdf

Panel on Employability

The five experiences presented share the focus on how skills reinforce people’s capacity to make the most of educational and training opportunities they may have, aiming at finding and keeping a decent job, achieving promotion within the enterprise, changing employment and adapting to the technological advances and the conditions of the labour market. These were: Learning by Working, Ministry of Education of the City of Buenos Aires from Argentina; Project for Employability of FAUTAPO from Bolivia; Linking School – Enterprise of CONALEP from Mexico; Vocational Educators Enrichment Programme of Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) from Bahamas; and Training based on demand of National Training Agency (NTA) from Trinidad and Tobago. The panel was moderated by INEFOP from Uruguay.

The Learning by Working programme articulates educational contents with a specific labour practice where students can apply and work in depth on what they have learnt. The objectives of the programme are to develop self-management skills in the students and to provide resources which may create more labour opportunities, to have access to learning resources which due to their technical characteristics cannot be offered at school, to contribute to vocational orientation and the development of social responsibility, and to encourage students to be more committed to their academic and vocational training. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/learning_working_eng.pdf

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

FAUTAPO incorporates the principles of gender, employability, entrepreneurship, interculturality and environment as transversal approaches to its action in the understanding that the training environment is fundamental for the promotion of equality between men and women, for the inclusion and respect of cultural diversity, for the sustainability of nature and workers' occupational health. FAUTAPO highlights that training for employability promotes comprehensive technical and vocational training related to production with a competency-based approach. Therefore, comprehensive training is suggested bearing in mind the importance of encouraging participants to design their own occupational project. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/fautapo_eng.pdf

CONALEP's experience intends to solve the skills mismatch in the understanding that the enterprise is a suitable learning place by adding value to dual training and therefore enabling the articulation of educational contents with a concrete labour practice. This favours skills development, vocational integration and better life conditions. This strategy is carried out by means of cooperation agreements among public and private employers. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/fautapo_eng.pdf

BTVI from Bahamas leads the Vocational Educator Enrichment Programme whose main objectives are to introduce best practices in technical and vocational education as well as module certification of training. The programme seeks to create a system that is technologically sound and competitive to enhance and develop the strength of each child whether academic or otherwise. Therefore, technology is incorporated in all aspects of learning and standards of professional certification and re-certification for educators are implemented. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/btvi_bahamas_eng.pdf

The National Training Agency (NTA) from Trinidad and Tobago referred to the strategy that intends to meet the demand of productive sectors by indicating that there are six key sectors earmarked for the development of the country: music, entertainment and cinema (creative industries); merchant marine; fishing and fish processing; yachting; food and beverage; and printing and packaging, as well as other additional sectors. Said strategy is based upon a research process which has two components: on the demand side: the industry and employers; on the supply side: training providers, secondary school system and university graduates. Between 2009 and 2012, eight researches have been completed and there are four still under process since 2012. The results of these surveys enable to provide relevant answers to the training requirements, and the components of the system are: the participation of employers and workers; occupational standards; the existence of assessment and certification centres, and quality assurance as well as the acknowledgement of programmes of other institutions. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/presentation_nta.pdf

The following are some general conclusions on the matter:

• The term employability relates to portable competencies and qualifications that enhance an individual's capacity to make use of the education and training opportunities available in order to secure and retain decent work, to progress within the enterprise and between jobs, and to cope with changing technology and labour market conditions. ILO Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195).

• Employability demands training for a lifelong and complex learning which implies: learning to learn, learning to do, learning to be and learning to undertake. It seeks to develop skills that increase the ability of people to search for, keep, and create jobs.

• The enterprise as a learning place and the concept of dual training assume their real importance, and thus enable the articulation of educational contents with concrete labour practice.

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

• On-the-job training favours skills development, and promotes vocational integration and achieving better life conditions. This strategy is carried out by means of cooperation agreements among public and private employers.

Panel on social inclusion

The access to education and training is fundamental to support the most disadvantaged people so that they can get out of the vicious circle of poor qualifications, low productivity and low-waged jobs and enter the labour market. VTIs have acknowledged that these people are exposed to unfavourable conditions which entail particular challenges. They have, therefore, tried to cater for their specific needs and remove obstacles to access training by developing suitable teaching materials, strategies and learning environments. Training is an opportunity for inclusion which encompasses technical, entrepreneurial and citizen skills. At the same time, training encourages people to continue being linked to educational processes. The use of learning platforms and mobile units makes the access to training easier. The actions oriented to young people at social and economic risk must aim at occupations with a strong likelihood of obtaining a job or being self-employed in the community where they live. The motivation and preparation of trainers is a key element for success. The motivation of the teaching staff is paramount for the success of these interventions. The following experiences were presented: School Leavers Training Opportunity Programme (SLTOP) of HEART/NTA from Jamaica, the Programme on pacified communities from Brazil and Vocational training under confinement of UOCRA Foundation from Argentina. The panel was moderated by the TVET Council from Barbados and comments were made by UGT from Spain.

The SLTOP programme intends to bridge the gap between the school and the world of labour for the newly graduates by offering the necessary experience to these young people in order to understand the complexities of the working environment and providing them with the necessary skills to become competitive members of the workforce. Students work at an enterprise for a period of time no longer than a year and are encouraged to take part in the daily activities of such environment. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/sltop_eng.pdf

In 2010, Rio de Janeiro's SENAC began an educational project in the communities served by the Pacifying Police Units of such state in order to support the pacification process to promote the economic development of such areas. SENAC actions have two main goals: vocational qualification and certification for young people at social risk and retraining workers and unemployed who may not have a vocational certification to increase their chances in the labour market. Up to May 2013, 3,300 residents were qualified and certified in 14 pacified communities. By the end of 2014, the programme will have reached 3,000 more people. Initial training courses are held in the areas of beauty, cooking, IT and management. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/favelassenac_eng.pdfhttp://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/fautapo_eng.pdf

The UOCRA Foundation is carrying out training actions in the construction sector so that persons deprived of freedom can develop the necessary skills to reintegrate to the labour market once they recover their freedom. The success of this experience is that training actions are implemented in prison units. The selection of the coordinator and trainer is done carefully. The curriculum is flexible while courses are oriented to already employed workers and, in the end, those who complete the training actions receive the corresponding certification. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/uocra_spa.pdf

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

Panel on the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ)

The objective of this panel was to describe the origin and main characteristics of the CVQ. All the involved institutions made a presentation on their experiences: the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training and NTA from Trinidad and Tobago, CANTA, TVET Council from Barbados, HEART/NTA from Jamaica, the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) from Guyana, CARICOM, the Ministry of Education from Saint Lucia and the Ministry of Education from Suriname. Carlos Aldao Zapiola, representative of the Group of Employers of the ILO Governing Body moderated the panel.

The proposal for the free movement of certified skilled workers is one of the protocols of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the mandate of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD). To cater for this demand, CANTA has developed a mechanism for the regional certification scheme (CVQ).

The CVQ is the acknowledgment of the achievement of a set of competencies that define the core work practices of an occupational area consistent with the levels articulated within the regional qualifications framework, which follows the competency-based approach (CBET).

The CVQ contributes to the economic growth through a more competitive, productive and gender-equitable workforce in the Caribbean. It strengthens the institutional capacity to implement, promote and conduct quality assurance. It improves access to pertinent labour information which may lead to more meaningful employment for TVET graduates and skilled workers. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/canta_nta.pdf

The TVET from Barbados referred to the challenges faced, among others: overcoming the stigma associated to vocational training, the changes in schools and training institutions, and the lack of resources and limited involvement of the private sector. The following are some of the most relevant outcomes: the relationship with the private sector has improved, particularly in the agricultural, maritime and industrial areas. Besides, several alliances with local communities and with countries of the Caribbean have been entered into. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/fautapo_eng.pdf

The HEART/NTA from Jamaica highlighted the outstanding results of the CVQ. It has been a tool to articulate with the CSME; it has enabled the standardization of contents which are relevant to all partnering countries, thus responding to the changing labour market needs. It has encouraged entrepreneurship and the development of other subjects which enable to address the skills mismatch. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/heart_cvq.pdf

The CTVET from Guyana highlighted the philosophy implied in CVQ as a tool for inclusion which promotes technical training in rural communities and hinterland regions of the country. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/canta_nta.pdf

The CARICOM stressed out the need to overcome the disconnection between the educational system and the real world by emphasizing the key role that vocational training can play in the skills development in order to achieve competitive advantages in the global economy. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/caricom_cvq.pdf

The Ministry of Education from Suriname pointed out the challenge posed by the setting up of a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) and a National Training Authority in order to increase regional cooperation and technical skills development. It described the decentralization process

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

that was carried out to attract students, retrain teachers, update the curriculum and educational plans tailored to the demands and national and international standards. Finally, it referred to the Ministry of Labour, Technology and Environment which also develops training and retraining actions and it has entered into SSC agreements with SENAI from Brazil and SENA from Colombia. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/cvq_suriname.pdf

The NTA indicated that the agenda of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago includes creating a more diversified, knowledge intensive economy by building upon the creativity of the citizens and doing a continuous revision of the national apprenticeship programme and the integrated national qualifications framework, including the development of instruction materials and assessment instruments. http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/nta_cvq.pdf

CANTA's website offers more detailed information: http://cantaonline.org/

Commemoration of the 50th anniversary of ILO/Cinterfor

The Director of ILO/Cinterfor, Martha Pacheco, thanked the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, represented by the Ministries of Labour and Tertiary Education and the National Training Agency, for their hospitality and enthusiasm, and for hosting the 41st TCM, which coincides with the celebration of half a century of the country's independence and ILO/Cinterfor's creation. She evoked the expression "Together we aspire, together we achieve" which is engraved in the façade of the Parliament which is also the concept that inspires the mission of the Centre as a network: for 50 years, together, the Network has worked more and better with a view to help people to have a decent and productive job. She stressed that ILO/Cinterfor and the Network of Vocational Training Institutions are inseparable expressions and their achievements are the result of collaborative work among them and the ILO. She emphasized that the Network stands out for the generosity and liberality with which knowledge is shared. She paid tribute to the institutions which promoted the creation of the Centre: SENAI and SENAC from Brazil, UTU from Uruguay, SENA from Colombia, INCE from Venezuela and CONET from Argentina and the visionary leaders who 50 years ago anticipated what is nowadays known as South-South Cooperation.

The full intervention of the Director is available at: http://www.oitcinterfor.org/sites/default/files/edit/docref/rct/celebration50years.pdf

During the Dinner Gala offered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ILO/Cinterfor, Minister Fazal Karim delivered a speech which can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBI1iQTiF9s

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013

Declaration of Trinidad and Tobago on South-South and Triangular Cooperation in VT. Beyond 2015.

The representatives of the member institutions of ILO/Cinterfor signed the Port of Spain Letter, which follows below:

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41st Technical Committee Meeting of ILO/Cinterfor, Port of Spain, 8 - 10 July, 2013