Youth Economic Opportunity Conference 13 September, 2012

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Results for Development Institute (R4D): who are we?

Market dynamics

R4D targets four areas in the fight against global poverty: Results for Development Institute (R4D) is a

Washington-DC based non-profit organization, with ~50 employees.

R4D’s mission is to unlock solutions to tough development challenges that prevent people in low- and middle-income countries from realizing their full potential

Major supporters include Rockefeller Foundation, Gates, DFID, Hewlett, and USAID

Leveraging expertise from business, economics, and development, R4D works with leaders, globally and at the country level, to provide analysis and advice, enable communities of knowledge, and design and test solutions to some of the world’s biggest development challenges

Who is R4D?

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Search overview

The National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), India

Research was commissioned to 5 regional institutions in Africa and Asia.

Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), Ghana

Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Senegal

Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), Thailand

Dalberg Global Development Advisors conducted a deep dive study on Kenya, Senegal, India and Cambodia.

ISESE focus countries

Online competition held in 12 countries

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Findings: what do employers want?

Students in Lend-a-Hand-India’s Project Swadheen work together to explore electrical wiring.

Technical

• Skills geared towards a specific occupation, e.g. electrical wiring, plumbing.

Analytical

• Thinking skills• Problem-solving skills

“People-skills”

• Self-reliance, entrepreneurship, communication and discipline

Skills needed:

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Findings: what do employers want?

Informal economy: Majority of workers in many developing countries. “People-skills” are especially crucial. A focus on “people-skills” development in girls is

key, as women are more likely to be engaged in this sector.

Technical Analytical “People-skills”

Skilled ++ ++ ++Unskilled + + +++

Source: Dalberg, 2012

Skills needed by construction workers in India

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Findings: how to effectively deliver relevant skills?

The most effective models link training to employer needs.

What did we find? Successful public private

partnerships and NGO programmes that linked skills training to needs of local employment markets.

Innovative use of ICTs to supplement mainstream teaching.

Successful models of open and distance learning.

Scholarship and mentorship schemes to address demand side constraints.

Innovations to improve teaching and modernise curriculum.

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Findings: how to effectively deliver relevant skills?

There is little evaluation currently done on the impact of different innovations.

Systematic evaluation of impact of innovations on job chances for young people.

More effective innovations to deliver ‘21st century’ skills.

Affordable models to use ICTs effectively to improve learning and skills.

Successful models to mainstream innovation within government secondary education systems.

What is needed next?

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Next steps

Further analysis of innovative models to examine cost and impact.

Country-level convenings to share findings and explore options to test recommendations.

Publish and disseminate a final report which analyses employer skill needs, presents detailed case studies of effective skills delivery models, and assesses the lessons learnt from the regional convening.

Further analysis of innovative models

Convening (s)

Final dissemination