2014年-世界发展银行全球_FYR_Macedonia_Workforce_Development___SABER_Country_Report_2014_59页_1mb

FYR Macedonia Workforce Development Summary (2014)

Core Content

This report presents an analysis of workforce development (WfD) in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYR Macedonia) using the SABER-WfD tool, which evaluates the system through three key dimensions: Strategic Framework, System Oversight, and Service Delivery. The assessment highlights the progress made and the challenges that remain in aligning education and training with labor market needs.

Main Points

1. Strategic Framework

• Government Role: The government is the main advocate and initiator of WfD policies, emphasizing a top-down approach.
• Coordination Issues: Despite policy initiatives, coordination between government agencies and non-government stakeholders is weak.
• Social Dialogue: Social dialogue is underdeveloped and does not yield the desired results in practice.
• Policy Goals: The strategic framework includes advocacy, partnership, and coordination. It is rated at the Emerging level (2.3 out of 5), indicating progress but still needing to reach the Established level.
• Key Reforms: Several sectoral strategies have been adopted, including those for industrial development, agriculture, tourism, innovation, SMEs, and VET. These strategies aim to improve labor market supply and economic competitiveness.

2. System Oversight

• VET System: The VET system is in a transitional phase and has not yet fully aligned with labor market needs.
• Reforms Undertaken: Efforts include developing qualification standards, improving quality assurance, expanding the network of VET providers, and diversifying education pathways.
• Private Sector Involvement: The private education sector is weak and has limited contribution to WfD.
• Employer Role: Employers are not actively involved in training delivery or policy development.
• Funding: Funding is centralized, primarily from the national budget and international programs, with limited support for private providers.
• Rating: The system oversight is rated at Emerging (2.1 out of 5), showing some progress but still needing substantial improvements.

3. Service Delivery

• Labor Market Relevance: Training programs are not sufficiently aligned with labor market demands, leading to mismatches.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Weak collaboration between the business sector and training providers affects the relevance of education supply.
• Data Collection: Mechanisms for collecting and using labor market data are insufficient and not transparent.
• Long-Term Forecasting: There is a lack of collaborative mechanisms for forecasting labor market needs.
• Quality Assurance: The State Education Inspectorate (SEI) is responsible for quality assurance through evaluations of public education providers and external assessments of students and staff.
• Rating: Service delivery is rated at Emerging (2.0 out of 5), highlighting the need for more effective and responsive training delivery.

Key Challenges

• Skills Mismatch: There is a significant disconnect between the education system's output and the needs of the private sector.
• High Unemployment: Unemployment remains high, particularly among the youth and in urban areas.
• Low Skill Levels: A large portion of the population lacks the necessary skills for the modern economy.
• Weak Social Dialogue: Despite formal structures, social dialogue is not effective in influencing policy and practice.
• Limited Private Sector Engagement: The private sector has not fully embraced its role in training and workforce development.

Policy Implications

• Invest in WfD: WfD investment is crucial for the country's future. Current funding is mainly directed at formal VET and lacks diversity.
• Enhance Relevance: Training must be more aligned with labor market needs, which requires better data collection and forecasting mechanisms.
• Strengthen Social Dialogue: Institutionalizing social dialogue will improve collaboration between stakeholders and enhance policy effectiveness.
• Support Adult Education: Adult education is not yet integrated into the training system, limiting opportunities for retraining and up-skilling.
• Improve Quality Assurance: Quality assurance systems need to be strengthened for both public and private education providers.

Recommendations

• Develop Labor Market Observatories: Establish a labor market and skills observatory (LMSO) to monitor graduate outcomes and skill demand trends.
• Promote Private Sector Involvement: Encourage the private sector to take a more active role in training delivery and policy development.
• Improve Data Systems: Enhance data collection and transparency to inform policy decisions effectively.
• Diversify Funding: Explore alternative funding models to support both public and private training providers.
• Enhance Curriculum Relevance: Align curricula and qualification frameworks with the needs of the modern labor market.

Conclusion

FYR Macedonia has made progress in workforce development, but the system remains in an Emerging stage. Strengthening the strategic framework, improving system oversight, and enhancing service delivery are critical for aligning education and training with labor market demands and improving economic competitiveness.