Skills are an important determinant of the level and quality of countries’ export growth. The availability of skills in the work force determines countries' ability to diversify exports and integrate more fully in the global economy. Availability of skilled labour is also a prerequisite for countries to absorb new technologies.

Enterprise survey data show that many firms rank finding adequately skilled workers as a major constraint to their business. Difficulties finding adequately skilled workers also impede developing country firms, in particular small and medium sized ones, to connect to and benefit from GVCs.

This side event provides an opportunity for sharing research findings and policy approaches on the role of skills development in translating trade openness into sustainable growth of productive and decent work.

 

9:00-9:20 — Keynote speakers:

Mr. Guy Ryder, Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO)
> speech

Mr. Pascal Lamy, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO)
> Speech

9:20-10:10 — Panelists:

Ms. Marion Jansen, Economic Research and Statistics Division, WTO: “Skills and export competitiveness for SMEs”
> presentation

Ms. Christine Evans-Klock, Director, Skills and Employability Department, ILO:   “Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification”
> presentation

Mr. Sylvain Giguère, Head LEED Division, OECD “Skills for Competitiveness”
> presentation

Mr. Jeffrey D. Lewis, Director, Economic Policy, Debt and Trade Department Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Network (PREM), The World Bank, “The Right Skills for the Job?:  Rethinking Training Policies for Workers”
> presentation

 

10:10-10:30 — Country representatives:

Mr. Hong Choeun, Head of National Employment Agency (NEA), Cambodia
> presentation

Mr. Md. Fazlul Hoque, President of Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF), Bangladesh

 

10:30-11:00 — Q&A