SKYE recently held a three-day virtual study tour for intermediary organisations and public employment services in Nigeria. The virtual study tour which took place at the SKYE office in Abuja and Lagos between the 16th and 18th of November focused on Labour Market Administration in Germany, with the aim of strengthening the institutional capacities of Nigeria’s Public Employment Services (PES) for employment-oriented vocational education and training at Federal and state level.
Participants included directors from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FMLE), Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs), Edo State Ministry of Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment and Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Plateau State Ministry of Education, Enugu State SME Centre, Ogun State Bureau of Job Creation and Youth Empowerment, Edo State Board for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Ogun State TEVT Board, Enugu State TVET Board as well as members from SKYE’s Active Labour Market Component.
The virtual study tour created a room for the exchange of experience and knowledge transfer. Participants were exposed to the German system of public employment promotion and job placement at the German Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), Job Centres, German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung – BIBB), German Institute for Employment Research of the Federal Employment Agency (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit – IAB), and the Job Centre of the District Marberg-Biedenkopf in Hessen. Emphasis was made on the structure and processes of participating units of employment promotion in Germany.
At the end of the tour, participants expressed their gratitude to SKYE with the resolution to share their experience and knowledge with their institutions, with the plan to adopt some of the best practices. The virtual study tour is a kick-off learning from Germany. Next year, SKYE plans to have a physical trip to Germany – if Covid-19 allows it.
