Skills & Employability Asia Pacific Skills & Employability Network ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Two new reports highlight the gaps in employability skills among college graduates. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities surveyed stakeholders across 31 universities on the importance of certain skills and how prepared students are in those skills, as well as how to better prepare students in those areas, according to the executive summary for the reports. The report identifies 11 key skills gaps among graduates out of the total 42 skills offered in the survey. The skills include dealing with conflict constructively, building professional relationships and understanding workplace roles, among others.

Many persons with disabilities come into the COVID-19 crisis already facing significant exclusion in all areas of the world of work. The pandemic and resulting economic shocks increase the vulnerability of persons with disabilities to further inequalities. The new ILO brief points out what needs to be done to make the socio-economic response inclusive of persons with disabilities and also addresses issues related to containment measures and the long-term recovery.

ILO’s EU funded Skills 21 project is transforming two teachers training centre into ‘Centre for Skills Excellence(CSE)’. In the process of establishing a centre of excellence, the institutes can be elevated from "good" to "great" by providing expert trainers, researchers, facilities, and equipment. These centres will become a model of best practice in TVET and skills development.