Skills for Employment—CIDA Guidelines

1. Introduction
2. The role of SFE in economic and social development
3. Canadian commitment to SFE programming
4. Elements of effective SFE programming 5. Coding skills for employment
6. Sample results statements for Skills for Employment programs

Annex 1: Helpful External Resources

1. Introduction

These guidelines have been developed as a resource for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating Skills for Employment (SFE) projects and programs and for the assessment of unsolicited SFE proposals.

Problematique
Developing country governments understand that strong, relevant technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and skills for employment (SFE) programs with solid links to the labour market can contribute to sustainable economic development, poverty reduction, social stability and inclusion. The challenge for developing countries is how to improve the quality and labour market relevance of their TVET and SFE programs in response to new technologies, changing labour market demands, and global competition.

International commitment to strengthened TVET and SFE programming is clear. At the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, in April 2000, the international community, including Canada, made a commitment to "ensure that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life skills programs." Canada has also made a commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, which include the target of developing and implementing strategies for decent and productive work for youth.

Sustainable economic growth requires a skilled workforce at every level of the economy. Skills development can also be key to reconstruction in conflict-affected and fragile states and in post-disaster circumstances. Skills development among women can contribute to economic growth by increasing women's contribution to and role in the economy.

Definition
The term "skills for employment" goes beyond formal technical and vocational education and training; it includes the vocational skills, knowledge and capacities that workers gain through education and training, in any school or work setting. SFE focuses both on the training of young people and on the needs of adult workers, recognizing that, with the speed of change in technology and in labour markets, it is critically important that workers have access to training throughout their lives.

Vision
Young people entering the workplace as well as adult workers will have access to SFE programming that is:

• demand-driven, meeting the immediate and long-term needs of employers for skilled workers;
• equitable, providing access to all workers, including women, youth and marginalized groups; and
• sustainable, being adequately funded and fully integrated into a developing nation's policy and economic frameworks.

Goal
CIDA's goal is to increase access to quality skills for employment training, in particular for poor women and youth, as part of the Agency's thematic priority of supporting sustainable economic growth in the countries where CIDA works.

Objectives
CIDA's skills for employment programming aims to contribute to:

• Sustainable economic growth in the countries where CIDA works;
• The building of a trained, skilled workforce which meets labour market needs; and
• The inclusion of women, youth and marginalized groups in the economic life of their countries.

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2. The role of SFE in economic and social development

The role of SFE programming in economic development is critical. Strong SFE programs help people create livelihoods, adapt their skills to changing labour markets, and increase productivity levels. Higher productivity can lower production costs and increase economic returns for business owners and investors, and can increase the availability of wages for workers. How economic returns are distributed among owners, investors and workers depends on general economic factors such as employment levels and institutional considerations such as tax policies; however, some portion of these higher returns is generally re-invested in the economy, resulting in new jobs, product and process innovations, improvements in plants and equipment, and expansion into new markets. In this way, SFE programs contribute to long-term economic growth and development and strengthen competitiveness in a global economy.

SFE programs also contribute to the social development and stability of communities. Increased skill levels enable more people, including women and workers from marginalized groups, to realize their potential, provide for their families, and contribute to the social development of their communities. Increased training and employment opportunities can mean that human capital is not wasted, the risk of civil unrest is lessened, and social stability is strengthened.

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3. Canadian commitment to SFE programming

Internationally, interest in SFE programming has increased in the past decade. During the 1960s and 1970s, developing countries and donors initially focused on formal TVET programs, and then shifted to non-formal programming in the informal sector. By the 1980s, concerns about rates of return on investment in TVET programs had increased, and funding for TVET declined. The commitment to universal primary education that began in the 1990s also limited the funds available for TVET programming.

The progress in meeting Education For All (EFA) goals and the challenges to economic development brought on by the global economic crisis, have now increased demand for post-primary, secondary, tertiary and adult education vocational programs.

Support for SFE programming is an important part of Canada's commitment to the international EFA goal of ensuring that the "learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate leaning and life skills programs" and for the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of developing and implementing strategies for decent and productive work for youth. SFE is an important component of CIDA's thematic priority of sustainable economic growth. On average, CIDA invests $140 million annually in skills training. In addition, in March 2009, CIDA launched an SFE initiative that will invest $95 million over a three to four year period to strengthen skills in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Guided by the needs identified by its development partners, CIDA will work through a range of mechanisms to implement SFE programming. These mechanisms include bilateral projects with developing-country governments and civil society organizations, or joint initiatives with other donors through program-based approaches (PBAs) and sector-wide approaches (SWAps). CIDA's Multilateral and Global Programs Branch (MGPB) supports skills for employment initiatives through core funding provided to multilateral institutions which develop and deliver SFE programs. In addition, CIDA's Canadian Partnership Branch (CPB) works closely with Canadian partners and provides project and program funding to a number of Canadian civil society organizations (CSOs) working in SFE.

Bilateral programs are often multimillion dollar, multiyear initiatives that may be implemented in more than one country. They are designed to engage developing-country governments at the national or sub-national level and can result from responsive or directive mechanisms. For responsive mechanisms, CIDA will assess proposals based on a standard list of technical and financial criteria that, for SFE, must include a demonstration of economic opportunities, a comprehensive labour market analysis and a favourable policy context. In the case of directive mechanisms and the resulting competitive process, CIDA will expect implementing agency proposals to address issues that include, but are not limited to:

Alignment with national economic growth priorities, education sector plans, and poverty reduction strategies;

• Capacity building of ministries and training agencies involved in SFE training at the national and/or sub-national level;
• Policy dialogue to develop or strengthen TVET and SFE policy frameworks;
• Labour market analysis to ensure that SFE programs will be demand-driven;
• Collaborative approaches that involve key stakeholders, including governments, the private sector, and training institutions; and
• Funding and sustainability, since SFE programs are expensive and CIDA funding may need to be augmented with public, private and/or international funding.

In its work with other donors and developing countries in PBAs and SWAps, CIDA may focus primarily on policy dialogue or monitoring and evaluation, but in either case, the principles outlined in these present Guidelines will provide a basis for CIDA's approach and focus.

CIDA's Multilateral and Global Programs Branch provides funding to a number of international financial institutions which support skills for employment programs, including the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank and the World Bank. MGPB also supports two intergovernmental organizations, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie, both of which have robust programming on distance education and teacher training. The United Nations Development Programme, a multilateral institution that receives core funding from CIDA through the MGPB, develops and delivers vocational training that cover a range of skills such as agricultural development courses offered in specific African countries and technical entrepreneurial skills training offered in Asia. CIDA will continue to support multilateral institutions that contribute to the development of a skilled workforce, and more broadly, the goal of Education for All.

CIDA's Partnership Branch provides support to Canadian community colleges and training institutes in their work to build capacity in SFE in developing countries through two programs managed by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). CPB also supports the work of other CSOs in their delivery of SFE programming through CPB's responsive Voluntary Sector Program (VSP) and Voluntary Sector Funds (VSF) funding mechanisms. In assessing proposals for funding, it is important to assess whether the projects will reflect CIDA's vision for SFE programming, and will be demand-driven, equitable and sustainable.

In the beginning stages of program design, and throughout program development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, CIDA officers have access to a support team of agency specialists in areas such as gender, education, environment, economic growth, and results-based management. A range of project management tools are available on the internal CIDA website EntreNous.

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4. Elements of effective SFE programming

4.1 How important are economic and policy environments?

SFE programs alone are not able to create jobs. Stable economic environments, sound investment climates, efficient labour markets, and well-functioning financial institutions are critical for job creation. These conditions are often lacking in developing countries. It is important to understand just how strong the impact of local and national economic conditions will be on proposed SFE programming.

Policy environments will also have an impact on SFE programs. SFE programs that contribute to a country's overall productivity and economic growth must be developed within a broader national development strategy. Effective SFE policies provide frameworks for programming that are linked to industrial, investment, trade, technology, environmental and broader education sector policies. Policy dialogue with developing-country governments and other donors will be an essential part of SFE planning.

In the development of SFE policies and programming:

• Comprehensive analysis of the economic and policy environment is an important first step. Analysis may be focused primarily at the local or community level but should take into account regional or national factors.
  
  
• Strengthening governance may require support for organizational restructuring and role redefinition. Capacity building at the central, provincial, district and institutional level may be needed in policy design, planning, administration, financial management, and gender equality.
  
  
• Policy development should be collaborative and consultative, across sectors and disciplines, and should involve key stakeholders: government (including Ministries such as Education, Finance, Industry, Agriculture, Environment, and Labour), the private sector, technical and vocational training institutions, CSOs, development partners, trade and industry organizations and associations, local governments, beneficiaries and communities, including marginalized groups such as women and indigenous people.
  
  
• Comprehensive SFE policies should:
  
  
  • Underline the importance of matching skill demand and supply;
  • Balance central and local control of SFE programs. Centralized systems can link training to education sector and economic development strategies. Decentralized systems that delegate authority to training institutions can link training to local market demands. Local autonomy must be accompanied by a strong accountability framework and gender equality training;
  • Describe articulation systems to recognize relevant training from other sources so that students can move easily among formal SFE programs;
  • Establish systems to certify training gained in non-formal SFE programs or informal apprenticeships;
  • Outline a monitoring and evaluation process, and describe procedures to revise and adapt programs as required;
  • Use sex-disaggregated data to monitor gender bias in training and employment;
  • Mandate strategies to counteract bias and stereotypes;
  • Include incentives such as direct public subsidies, grants or tax concessions to encourage private or enterprise-based training programs; and
  • Outline training standards for private and enterprise-based training.

4.2 How can CIDA help to develop SFE programs that are demand-driven and flexible?

Successful SFE programs that increase productivity and employment are demand-driven; training is provided for skills that are in demand by local or national labour markets. Successful programs are also flexible, and able to respond effectively to changes in technology and labour market demands.

To help develop SFE programs that are demand-driven and flexible:

• Strong links among government agencies and training institutions and local and regional labour markets are essential. Tracer studies on labour market outcomes of graduates can inform training design and supply.
  
  
• Government agencies and training institutions must develop the capacity to analyze and disseminate labour market information on skill shortages, job creation opportunities, entrepreneurial opportunities, wage levels, and waiting times for employment.
  
  
• Flexibility must be built in so that programs can respond to changes in labour markets. This may mean either deferring specialization until the later stages of training or developing short-term, modular or competency-based training. It may mean hiring staff on short-term contracts, and leasing rather than purchasing equipment and facilities.

4.3 How can SFE programming involve the private sector?

Although the extent of private sector or enterprise-based training varies greatly among developing countries, it can have a dramatic impact on productivity. The private sector (industry representatives, associations of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), micro-entrepreneurs etc.) can help to identify emerging market needs and define new technical competencies, ensuring that training is truly demand-driven.

To involve the private sector in SFE programming:

• Governments can provide incentives such as grants or loans to cover training costs, and/or wage subsidies. (Direct public subsidies are generally avoided because many enterprises will provide training without government support.)
  
  
• The private sector can play an important role in policy development, and can provide input into formal and non-formal SFE curricula. Employers can also provide valuable feedback to institutions through participation in tracer studies.
  
  
• Working together, SFE programs and the private sector can ensure that training standards are consistent with labour market requirements for specific skills, export opportunities and access to economic union agreements.
  
  
• Public and private training institutions can partner with private companies to meet their training needs.
  
  
• Institutions can partner with small businesses and tradesmen to promote apprenticeships or internships, and can promote the increased participation of women.

4.4 What are the financial considerations for SFE programming?

Effective SFE programs, particularly formal programs offered in public institutions, have high outlays in terms of the development, maintenance and updating of curriculum, equipment and facilities. Some SFE programs have failed as a result of funding that was severely constrained and/or inefficiently used. Other SFE programs that were initially funded by development partners could not be maintained by government recurrent expenditures when project funding ended and/or donor priorities changed.

In planning for the financial viability of SFE programs:

• There must be realistic levels of investment over the long term, careful planning for program sustainability and clear evidence of sustained political will.
• Capacity development should target financial planning and management at both central and institutional levels.
• Beyond government recurrent budgets, additional methods of financing formal and non-formal SFE programs may be needed. These other methods include
  • payroll levies on employers
  • fees paid by enterprises or trainees
  • self-funding of training institutions through production and sale of goods and services
  • expansion of training by CSOs in the informal economy
  • incentives and enabling environments for private sector training

4.5 How can the quality and relevance of SFE programming be improved?

In many developing countries, SFE enrolment rates, particularly in the formal system, are low, largely because the quality of training has been poor. Curriculum and teaching methods may be outdated, and equipment and facilities are often in poor condition. Teacher training can be inadequate and the best teachers may leave because of low pay and low status. Systems used to accredit and evaluate programs can be weak or non-existent.

Improving the quality and relevance of SFE programs

• Strategies to attract, and retain well-qualified, competent teachers should include
  • ensuring that salaries are competitive with the private sector,
  • providing ongoing opportunities for professional upgrading and retraining, including exchanges with employers in the private sector,
  • developing outreach and recruiting programs to target female teachers, and
  • ensuring that workplaces are welcoming to female staff.
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• Regular curriculum review, development and implementation cycles can help programs remain up-to-date, flexible, and responsive to changing markets. Building educational capacity at the central and institutional level is an important first step.
  
  
• Curricula should be developed in consultation with the private sector, and should use local market assessment and tracing studies so that training reflects the real market opportunities available to learners. Partnerships with the private sector can provide valuable opportunities for work placements as part of course requirements.
  
  
• The Importance of Basic Education
  
  The success of SFE programs depends on the ability of students to read instructions, perform basic calculations, interpret graphs, and exchange information and knowledge. When students entering SFE programs do not have these skills, adequate instructional time must be provided to improve literacy and numeracy. Ultimately, improved quality of primary and secondary education will strengthen SFE programs.
  
  
• The development of new curricula provides an opportunity to integrate issues of gender equality and to encourage the participation of women in non-traditional occupations.
  
  
• The development of comprehensive delivery guides for new curricula can help to compensate for instructors with limited instructional and technical experience.
  
  
• SFE programs must focus on general or transferable skills since occupation-specific technical skills and narrow vocational qualifications may quickly become obsolete with the introduction of new technologies and working methods. Transferable skills include problem solving, communication, and working in teams. Assessment of both technical and transferable skills should be competency-based.
  
  
• Workers in enterprises involved in value chains need to develop skills in relationship management, inter-organizational teamwork and joint problem-solving along with specific technical skills and knowledge. These skills will help them manage production, innovation and improvement across a network of supplier firms.
  
  
• Public/private partnerships among government agencies, CSOs, businesses, trade unions and education and training institutions can help to:
  • identify issues of quality and relevance, with enterprises keeping institutions informed of changing technologies and equipment;
  • conduct occupational analyses to identify essential competencies for specific trade or employment areas;
  • develop competency-based standards for assessment and certification; and
  • provide opportunities for on-the-job training.
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• Public information programs can raise the status of SFE programs and encourage the participation of women, youth and minority groups.
• SFE programs should offer employment services including career guidance, data on local job opportunities, preparation of resumes, and links to employers.

4.6 How can SFE help workers in the informal economy?

Generally, SFE programs in the informal sector are aimed at improving the productivity of workers and the performance of enterprises to the point that they can be integrated into the formal economic sector. Currently, however, access to SFE programs for the informal sector is limited. Illiteracy may prevent young people and adults from participating and actual and opportunity costs of programs may be too high for many workers. The size and complexity of the informal sector means that a wide range of skills and knowledge is needed, making the provision of relevant SFE programs a challenge.

To improve training for workers in the informal sector:

• SFE programs must be flexible in terms of delivery, have immediate application for workers in order to justify their investment of time, and provide learning opportunities for workers of all ages.
  
  
• New technical skills can help workers improve product quality and diversify product ranges, avoiding saturation of informal sector markets. Training may also include:
  • basic literacy and numeracy;
  • negotiation skills which are particularly important for artisans and crafts people;
  • business skills so that workers can perform a range of business functions including market analysis, financing, and quality and cost controls; and
  • education on the benefits of movement into the formal sector, with its increased job security and worker protection.
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• Implementing Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) systems for informal sector workers can promote access to jobs in the formal economy, but teachers and administrators will need training to implement the systems effectively.
  
  
• In many countries, informal apprenticeships provide the best opportunity for young people to gain skills. Informal apprenticeship systems can be strengthened by:
  • providing literacy and numeracy programs for apprentices and master craftsmen;
  • providing master craftsmen with additional technical, entrepreneurial or pedagogical skills;
  • assisting with the financing of apprenticeship fees and the costs of tools and equipment;
  • complementing on-the-job training with theory; and
  • developing employment services for graduate apprentices to help them find employment, or providing access to microfinance and other services to support self-employment and income-generating activities.
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• Women are over-represented in the informal sector, but are under-represented in informal sector apprenticeships, and are paid at lower levels than men. Information programs can help to eliminate barriers to young women entering apprenticeships, particularly in non-traditional fields of work.

4.7 How can CIDA support the equal participation of women and men in SFE programs?

The skill gaps that currently exist worldwide between men and women have resulted from a number of factors including lower literacy rates for women, limited ability of women to travel to training centres, and social factors that put pressure on women to enter training for traditional occupations instead of training that is geared to new demands of the labour market. Unequal distribution of household work and family responsibilities are major barriers to the participation of women in SFE programs. Other barriers include a lack of female teachers, the assumptions and attitudes of male teachers, bias in educational materials, and the traditional transmission of skills to young men within the informal apprenticeship system.


To increase the participation of women in SFE programs:

• Gender-equality policies and action plans must be developed in SFE institutions and programs. Plans should focus on issues such as:
  • removing bias from curricula;
  • reducing occupational segregation and promoting non-traditional occupation choices;
  • training instructors and administrators in gender-sensitive programming;
  • developing strategies to recruit, train and retain qualified female instructors and ensuring that they are paid on a par with male colleagues;
  • providing leadership training for women; and
  • enhancing social protection and empowerment through integration of legal literacy and human rights issues into curricula.
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• Financial incentives such as scholarships can be provided for female students, particularly for training in non-traditional occupations.
  
  
• Entrepreneurial training should be provided for women managing small businesses. This training should recognize the gender-based differences between men and women running small enterprises, including discrimination in finance and product markets and the need to balance business and household duties.
  
  
• Monitoring progress towards achieving gender equality should include sex-disaggregated data on men and women's participation, retention and employment rates.

CIDA's Gender Equality Strategy is an important resource that can be used in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of SFE Programs. Throughout the programming process, branch Gender Equality Specialists can provide valuable, context-specific support.

4.8 How can SFE programming address the employment needs of youth?

The role of SFE programs in social stability is particularly important in developing countries with rapidly increasing populations that include a high proportion of young people, or a "youth bulge." In many developing countries, youth accounts for well over 30 percent of the population. Young people tend to have longer periods of job search, more frequent periods of unemployment once they begin working, and longer periods of lower-skilled work than adults. Vulnerable groups include child labourers, illiterate young people, young women, school drop-outs, youth working in the informal sector, youth living in rural areas, refugees and war-affected youth, indigenous youth, and sexual and gender orientation minority youth.


In designing SFE programming for youth:

Ensuring solid literacy, numeracy and life skills should be a first priority.

• Programs must respond to local market demands, but should build transferable skills (communication, problem solving, etc.) and should consider the interest of youth in new areas such as information technology.
  
  
• Incentives should be put in place to discourage child labour and to provide SFE within non-formal education programs for child labourers.
  
  
• Apprenticeships in the informal sector should be linked with formal education encouraging students to remain in school.
  
  
• Public-private partnerships should be used to encourage employers to accept young people in work placements, and to organize working time around SFE instructional time.
  
  
• Special focus should be placed on the development of entrepreneurial skills in young people since the private sector will create most new jobs. It is important to develop strategies to eliminate some of the difficulties young people face in creating and maintaining businesses including management training, mentoring, and financial and credit services.

4.9 What are some key considerations for SFE programming in rural areas?

It is estimated that over 70 percent of poor people live in rural areas. Most of them depend on subsistence agriculture to survive. SFE programs in rural areas may be designed for a number of purposes:

• to equip people with the skills they need to improve agricultural productivity;
• to take advantage of off-farm labour demand, which can mitigate the impact of seasonal fluctuations in agricultural production; or
• to assist workers in migrating to work in the urban formal sector as part of a government strategy to reduce rural poverty and overcome skill shortages.

Considerations for SFE programming in rural areas:

• Non-formal SFE programs should adjust to the workdays of agricultural workers, be offered close to home, and be linked to local business and labour market needs.
  
  
• Since women make up the majority of agricultural workers in many countries, SFE programs should be designed with cultural issues in mind and should recognize household and family obligations. Programs should recognize women's knowledge of agriculture and climate, water collection, alternative cultivation methods, and crop diversification.
  
  
• Programs should be linked with national or local policies and priorities such as the diversification of agricultural production or markets or the expansion of business or industry in rural areas.
  
  
• Access can be increased by expanding services provided by formal training institutions into under-served areas and using local instructors who understand the local context.
  
  
• Entrepreneurship training is important in areas where self-employment can be the best or only means of utilizing newly-developed technical skills. SFE programs should be based on a realistic assessment of the local demand for skills and products and should be linked to micro-credit, marketing, technology, and relevant support services.
  
  
• Farmers' associations and rural organizations, supported by public agencies, can provide valuable services to upgrade farmers' agricultural capacities, and to improve knowledge and skills in business and financial management. These associations can also facilitate access to rural non-formal SFE training.

4.10 How can CIDA increase access to SFE for marginalized groups?

The present Guidelines have already addressed some of the issues of SFE programming for women, young people and people living in remote rural areas; however, levels of access are low for many other marginalized groups including:

• indigenous groups;
• people with disabilities;
• people living with the impact of HIV/AIDS; and
• people living in post-conflict or fragile states, including demobilized soldiers.

Many of these people will have access primarily to jobs in the informal economy. Without additional SFE opportunities, they may remain trapped in that sector.

SFE programs for marginalized groups can take into account many of the considerations outlined in other sections of this paper. In addition, there are specific factors that can help to meet the needs of certain unique groups:

Indigenous groups:

• consideration of language of instruction and second language issues
• identification and utilization of the cultural capital of unique indigenous groups
• access to entrepreneurial training and credit

People with disabilities:

• teacher training that addresses the special needs of unique groups such as those with hearing or vision problems
• modification of curriculum, equipment and facilities
• public/private partnerships to support access to appropriate work placements
• public awareness campaigns to encourage the participation of disabled people in the workplace
• social services to facilitate entry into the labour market

People living with the impact of HIV/AIDS:

• ensuring that SFE programs have non-discriminatory policies for staff and student selection and retention;
• integration of HIV/AIDS information into life skills curricula, including responsible social behaviour, gender relations and sexual health;
• providing flexible training programs for youth who are heading households;
• ensuring a workplace focus on awareness, safety, and protection against HIV.

People living in fragile and/or post-conflict states, particularly demobilized child soldiers:

• short-term, specific and targeted skills training in areas needed immediately in the labour market, since the alternative to regular work can be criminal activity;
• links to wider reconstruction, disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) and economic development needs;
• a strong focus on life skills and literacy and numeracy training followed by post-literacy programming, especially in print-poor areas
• opportunities to enter formal education including comprehensive, longer term formal skills development training programs;
• for former child soldiers, careful integration into programs for all war-affected youth can help to decrease stigma and avoid further marginalisation;
• a focus on social skills appropriate for the workplace;
• services to facilitate entry into the labour market, including links to small credit or micro-loan programs, particularly for demobilized child soldiers and other war-affected youth.

4.11 How can SFE programming integrate environmental sustainability?

The integration of environmental protection into economic and social development objectives is an increasingly important issue on the national and international policy agenda. The scale and nature of changes to employment patterns and the labour market as governments shift to more sustainable patterns of production and consumption, are not yet clear.

Considerations for addressing environmental sustainability in SFE:

• Renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies, as well as policies and institutions advocating a shift from carbon-intensive to low-carbon activities, will increase the demand for skills needed in "green jobs." SFE programs can focus on these new skills.
• In rural communities, it is important to improve skills and knowledge related to new agricultural technologies and to crop selection and diversification.

Institutes and centres of technical and vocational training are in a special position within their community to raise awareness of environmental issues. SFE programs can ensure that their graduates have the values, skills, and knowledge to promote environmental protection, environmental improvement, and stewardship of resources.

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5. Coding skills for employment

When entering a new project into the SAP database, CIDA officers will be asked to identify appropriate OECD-DAC codes. The complete list of OECD-DAC codes used at CIDA can be found at: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/acdi-cida.nsf/eng/EMA-2181311-P5T.

Complete list of OECD-DAC codes relevant to SFE programming

OECD-DAC Code	Description
Education
011120	Education Training and Facilities
011130	Teacher Training
011330	Vocational Training (secondary level)
011430	Advanced Technical and Managerial Training (tertiary level)
Health
012181	Medical Education/Training
012281	Health Personnel Development
Population Policies/Programmes and Reproductive Health
013081	Personnel development for population and reproductive health
Water Supply and Sanitation
014081	Education and training in water supply and sanitation
Transport and Storage
021081	Education and training in transport and storage
Energy Generation and Supply
023081	Energy education/training
Banking and Financial Services
024081	Education/training in banking and financial services
Agriculture
031181	Agricultural education/training
Forestry
031281	Forestry education/training
Fishery
031381	Fishery education/training
Trade Policy and Regulations and Trade-related Adjustment
033181	Trade education/training
Multisector - Environment
041081	Environmental education/training
Other Multisector
043081	Multisector education/training

Where training is provided in a technical area or sector not covered by an existing OECD-DAC code or where projects include generalized institutional support or policy development at the secondary or tertiary level, the projects can be coded in part or in whole as either:

• 11330: vocational training at the secondary level including apprenticeship and non-formal programs. For example, non-formal skills development of secondary-aged former child soldiers in a reintegration program would be coded as 11330. A program which will assist a government in TVET policy and curriculum reform at the secondary level across all sectors could also be coded as 11330.
  
  
• 11430: advanced technical and managerial training at the tertiary level. An example of such a program would be the training of knowledge workers in computer science by distance learning.

CIDA has also established a system for identifying sectors of focus. As is seen in the above link to sector codes on the CIDA website, each OECD-DAC code has been attributed to a specific sector of focus. For example, most of the education codes are used to track results on basic education. The exceptional education sector codes are the vocational training codes, which have been supporting the private sector development sector since 2007. Other training codes are generally attributed to different sectors as appropriate.

As of November 2008, CIDA now requires all projects to be coded for gender equality. This coding allows the Agency to better track gender equality as a crosscutting theme, ensures CIDA remains in line with the OECD-DAC Gender Equality Policy Marker, and enhances the Agency's ability to report to the DAC with more complete information. The mandatory gender equality coding is applied to the entire investment and codes/identifies investments according to four distinct categories: Specific (EQUALITY-3), Integrated (EQUALITY-2), Limited Integration (EQUALITY-1) and No Gender Equality Results (EQUALITY-0). Please consult a Gender Equality Specialist when coding an investment for gender equality. A different methodology is used for assigning these Gender Equality Identifiers to core-funded initiatives than for directive/responsive programming.

In May 2009, the Minister of International Cooperation announced three thematic priorities to carry the Agency forward: food security, children and youth, and sustainable economic growth. Although still in development at the time of writing, it appears that the majority of the above-mentioned codes will be attributed to sustainable economic growth. Exceptions would be codes that directly affect food security - 031181 - and children and youth- 011120, 011130, 012181, and 012281.

Further information on how to code SFE projects and programs is available from CIDA Education and Sustainable Economic Growth Specialists.

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6. Sample results statements for Skills for Employment programs

Results Level	Sample Results Statements
Ultimate Outcome (long-term) The highest-level change that can be reasonably attributed to an organization, policy, program, or initiative in a causal manner, and is the consequence of one or more intermediate outcomes. The ultimate outcome usually represents the raison d'être of an organization, policy, program, or initiative, and takes the form of a sustainable change of state among beneficiaries.	Enhanced ability of project/program beneficiaries, particularly women, to benefit from the economic growth of their communities Improved economic well-being of SFE program participants and their communities Improved economic well-being and enhanced social cohesion and stability of communities involved in SFE programming Enhanced economic and social development among communities/groups involved in SFE programming. Increased inclusion of marginalized groups in the economic and social lives of their communities
Intermediate Outcome (medium-term) A change that is expected to logically occur once one or more immediate outcomes have been achieved. In terms of time frame and level, these are medium-term outcomes, which are usually achieved by the end of a project/program and usually occur at the change of behaviour/practice level among beneficiaries.	Increased employment opportunities among students who have completed SFE programs Increased use of effective policy development and implementation strategies by relevant government agencies Enhanced alignment of training with market needs Increased and more effective involvement of business, industry and professional associations in SFE programming Strengthened linkages among Canadian training institutions and institutions in developing countries Increased integration of gender equality strategies in SFE programming Increased formal participation of women in non-traditional occupations Increased movement of enterprises and workers from the informal to the formal sector
Immediate Outcome (short-term) A change that is directly attributable to the outputs of an organization, policy, program or initiative. In terms of time frame and level, these are short-term outcomes, and are usually at the level of an increase in awareness/skills of… or access to… among beneficiaries.	Increased ability of SFE planners to develop and implement SFE curricula that reflect market needs Increased knowledge of effective SFE policy development and implementation strategies among government officials Increased awareness and understanding of gender equality strategies in SFE programming Increased access of women to training for non-traditional occupations Improved access of marginalized groups and those living in remote, rural areas to SFE programs Increased literacy skills among SFE program participants Increased entrepreneurial skills among SFE program participants

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Annex 1: Helpful External Resources

Adams, A.V. 2007. "The Role of Youth Skills Development in the Transition to Work: A Global Review." HDNCY No. 5, Human Development Network Children and Youth Department, Banque mondiale, Washington, DC.

Banque asiatique de développement. 2009. Good Practice in Technical Vocational Education and Training. Asian Development Bank, Manila, Philippines.

Betcherman, G., M. Godfrey, S. Puerto, F. Rother et A. Stavreska. 2007. "Global Inventory of Interventions to Support Young Workers: Synthesis Report." World Bank, Washington, DC.

Fasih, T. 2007. Linking Education Policy to Labour Market Outcomes. World Bank, Washington D.C.

Hargreaves A., P. Shaw. 2007. Knowledge and Skill Development and Transitional Economies: An analysis of World Bank/DfID Knowledge and Skills for the Modern Economy Project. World Bank. Washington D.C.

International Labour Organization 2005. Skills Development for Rural People: A renewed challenge. International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland.

International Labour Organization 2007. Post Primary Education and Skills Development. International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland

IRDC/Commonwealth Secretariat, 2004. Mainstreaming Informal Employment and Gender in Poverty Reduction: a Handbook for Policy-makers and Other Stakeholders, IDRC. Ottawa, Canada.

King, K. and Palmer, R. 2006. Education, Training and their Enabling Environments: A Review of Research and Policy. Centre of African Studies; Edinburgh, Scotland.

Network for Policy Research Review and Advice on Education and Training (NORRAG), 2007. NORRAG News /37. Best Practice in Education and Training: Hype or Hope; Oslo, Norway.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OE CD) 2009. Promoting Pro-Poor Growth: Employment; Paris, France.

World Bank, 2005. Education Sector Strategy Update: Achieving Education For All, Broadening our Perspective, Maximizing our Effectiveness, Washington D.C.