Context
The Palestinian vocational training system cannot provide an adequate supply of specialists for the labour market or train specialists in line with demand so that they can find work even in neighbouring countries. Moreover, given the political situation in the Palestinian territories and the conflicts in the region, the vocational training and labour market systems are not in a position to train employable workers in preparedness for a potential economic upturn.
Objective
An integrated vocational training and labour market strategy has been implemented as part of the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan. Conditions for ongoing implementation and development have been created.
Young workers have the necessary skills to find employment, maintain their employability and remain active in the labour market, thereby making the Palestinian economy more competitive.
Approach
The programme is promoting integrated approaches to improve vocational training, employment and the labour market. The vocational training strategy is helping to develop, establish and put in place all the vital structures and standards required to ensure that vocational training is relevant to the labour market. New curriculums and training courses as well as modern teaching methods are leading to improved technical, social and personal skills. The resulting qualifications are transparent, geared to the requirements of the labour market, and comparable to other national and international qualifications.
In particular, the labour market strategy is helping young people find employment by matching supply to labour market needs. Using an integrated approach, the programme is supporting those institutions that offer vocational training and labour market services, and is working with various stakeholders in the vocational training sector throughout the Palestinian territories.
The programme is also receiving additional support from financial cooperation with the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (DEZA).
Results achieved so far
Strategies for vocational training and the labour market have been developed and adopted by the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
A national qualifications framework valid for the entire educational sector has been implemented, as a result of which qualifications gained via academic, vocational and informal study are now comparable.
A new standard for curriculum development is encouraging the private sector to become involved in designing courses, and is promoting the use of modern teaching methods.
A model for human resources development is improving the qualifications of teachers and trainers at vocational colleges, most of whom had not previously been given any training in teaching methods.
The service centres (one-stop shops) run by the Ministry of Labour are advising companies looking for workers as well as jobseekers on career opportunities and available training and retraining courses.
More than 500 vocational counsellors from all training sectors are now qualified to advise pupils and students who are in their final year of study.
A new labour market information system has been developed and is already being used by the Palestinian Government to provide key information about the development of the labour market.
In the employment and vocational training boards run by local authorities, all the relevant stakeholders and institutions are working together to improve vocational training and the labour market. The 11 boards that have so far been set up are advising the government on local conditions and helping it to implement national labour market policies.