PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT SERVICES:Active Labour Market Policies

Relevant ILO Conventions

DONNA KOELTZILO GENEVA

Public Employment Services are the government institutions which plan and execute many of the labour market polices governments use to help workers enter the labour market, to facilitate labour market adjustments, and to cushion the impact of economic transitions.

• Ensure the maintenance of a free public employment service

• Ensure the best possible organisation of the employment market

• Consist of a national system of offices

• Tripartite advisory committees

C88: EMPLOYMENT SERVICE CONVENTION 1948

Registering applicants for employmentObtaining precise information on vacancies from

employersFacilitating mobility of job seekersCollecting, analysing and systematically making

available, information on the labour marketAdministration of unemployment insurance and

other measuresMeeting the needs of special categories of

applicants Initiating special measures for youth

Functions of Public Employment Services

To facilitate the matching of job seekers who are looking for employment with enterprises who need workers to fill their job vacancies

MANDATE

The Evolution of the Core Functions

Regulatory Services

Job search assistance &

placement services Labour Market

Information

Administerunemployment benefits

Labour Market Programmes

Employment services

TRADITIONAL FRAMEWORK

INITIAL INTAKE

•Registration

•General Information on Services Provided

•Access to Self-Service Options

•Group Information Sessions

EMPLOYABILITY

IMPROVEME

NT

•Individualized Counseling

•Assessment and Development of a Return-To-Work Action Plan

•May include Career, Vocational and / or Employment Counseling

•May involve one or more Labour Market Progammes

PERFORMAN

CE MANAGEME

NT

•Do all clients have fair and equitable access to the services?

•Are the desired outcomes being achieved?

•Are both job seekers and enterprises satisfied with the services?

•Are services delivered efficiently?

Employment CounselingAssisting job seekers to

effectively promote themselves to enterprises with job

vacancies

EMPLOYABILITY DIMENSIONS

Personal / Environmental

Factors

Clear Job Objective

Skills & Requirements to perform the job

Job Search Skills

Ability to maintain a job

LABOUR MARKET PROGRAMMES & SERVICES

Career CounselingAssisting job seekers select an appropriate occupation

Vocational CounselingAssisting job seekers identify skills gaps and determine the most appropriate means of closing these gaps

Employment CounselingAssisting job seekers to effectively

promote themselves to enterprises with job vacancies

Vocational CounselingAssisting job seekers identify skills gaps and determine the most appropriate means of closing these gaps

Skills training programmes

Educational Upgrading

On-the-job training

Entrepreneurial Training & related services

Job Subsidies programmes

Internship programmes

•Employment Resource Centre

•Job Matching

•Job Search Techniques

•Job Finding Clubs

•Access to internet sites and LMI

•Importance of life long learning

•Developing good work habits

•Life skills coaching

Realistic Career Goal

Women may face social / cultural taboos, need to balance family and work responsibilities

Older Workers often lack current job search skills, technical skills may be outdated but in spite of this may be reluctant to consider re-training

Migrant Workers face recruitment abuses, exploitation, social issues, difficulty in reintegrating when they return from overseas employment

Youth are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults and young women have particularly difficulties.

Persons with disabilities face problems of accessibility, societal misunderstanding regarding their abilities

All of these groups may eventually become Long Term Unemployed which brings with it even more barriers.

WHO ARE THE VULNERABLE GROUPS?

LABOUR MARKET TRAINING PROGRAMMES

… are likely to be more successful when they are…

Well targeted and tailored to meet individual needs

Designed to respond to labour market requirements

Linked with work experience

Part of a comprehensive package of services

Involving the social partners

JOB PLACEMENT SUBSIDIES

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Can create employment if targeted to specific needs and groups of disadvantaged people

Can be used to compensate for initial lower productivity and/ or training

If not carefully targeted the same result might have been reached without the programme

Non subsidized workers may be replaced by those who are subsidized

Employment may last only as long as the subsidy

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMMES

Can have high employment potential May meet some job seekers aspirations for flexibility and

independence But Can be difficult for job seekers who lack networks,

experience, technical knowledge and collateral There is also the risk of failure of the business, particularly

when the overall economy is weak, which limits its capacity to create sustainable employment

And… More effective when combined with financial and other

services, in particular mentoring and training programmes

EMPLOYMENT INTENSIVE PUBLIC WORKS & COMMUNITY SERVICES

Help job seekers gain labour market attachment May increase employability when combined with training Improves physical & social infrastructure, particularly if

combined with development and sectoral strategies

HOWEVER…

Workers may become trapped in a spiral of temporary public works programmes

Low capacity for labour market integration Often gender biased Potential displacement of private sector enterprises

Lack of funds and budget constraints

Capacity of Job Centres and staff

Recruitment and retention of PES staff

Balance & integration of main PES functions

Improving accountability & cost-effectiveness and stakeholder ownership

Improving use of ICT

Improved LMI capacities

PERFORMANCE CHALLENGES

Scope of PES or whether alternative options are better (e.g. one-stop-shop)

Division of Labour between private & public employment Services

Coordination of services for international migration between involved stakeholders nationally & internationally

POLICY CHALLENGES

• Public Employment Services using different delivery models

• Special Targeted Initiatives

• Increased demand for Career Counselling

• Leading to need for Better Labour Market Information

• Increased interest in Skills Training

• The Opportunities through Green Jobs

TRENDS

PES( C88 )

PrEA( C181 )

NGO / NFP

Placement / Job Brokerage

Placement / Job Brokerage Placement / Job Brokerage

Labour Market Information

Labour Market Information (generally limited to their sectoral specialty)

Often specialized in issues related to a specific target group

Administration of Labour Market Adjustment Programmes

Some training programmes generally specific to the industry within which the PrEA specializes

May offer some training, workshops or seminars on basic job search techniques, life skills etc.

Administration of Unemployment Insurance

May provide some financial support or other services to help job seekers get started

Regulatory Activities The association of private employment agencies, CIETT promotes self regulation of its members.

STAKEHOLDERS in EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES CONVENTION 181 (1997)

• LEGITIMACY OF PRIVATE AGENCIES

• BALANCE

• FLEXIBILITY

• PROTECTION OF WORKERS

• COMPLEMENTARITY

1. Modified Traditional (e.g. United Kingdom)Direct Delivery unemployed up to one yearExternal providers unemployed more than one year

2. Decentralized (e.g. Philippines, China, Chile)Large Urban Areas; Outlying Areas

3. Subcontracted (e.g. Australia, Canada)

4. Latest Development (the Netherlands)

DELIVERY MODELSDELIVERY MODELS

When developing an Employment Policy for a country it is important to consider:

• Capacity of the Public Employment Service• Core services most needed, the mix and the degree of

each service• Who are the most vulnerable groups?• Who are the other stakeholders and partners?• What delivery model will work to provide the best

possible service to job seekers, enterprises and the government?

CONCLUSIONS

THANK YOU!