Adaptive Employment and Skills Solutions in Crisis:
Lessons from Gaza’s Response to Education and Labour Market Collapse
Since the onset of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Palestinian Employment Fund (PEF) has prioritized emergency short-term employment and continued skill-building as essential responses to address extreme unemployment and household vulnerability. With most infrastructure damaged and TVET centres destroyed, PEF adapted its skilling programme by including training to be delivered remotely. Employment services such as coaching and mentoring shifted to digital formats to maintain continuity. Recognizing emerging recovery actions, PEF, in partnership with the ILO, is now preparing a pilot wage subsidy employment programme with partially re-operating private sector companies to re-integrate job seekers into the labour market. Simultaneously, a Continuing Vocational Education and Training (CVET) model using Work-Based Learning (WBL) tailored to be hosted at private companies only is also being planned for piloting to compensate for the loss of training facilities. These innovative approaches reflect PEF’s resilience, adaptability, and commitment to long-term employment recovery.
1. Background and context
Since October 2023, Gaza has faced unprecedented destruction, collapsing education, training, and employment systems. Over 70% of vocational training centres and higher education institutions have been damaged, unemployment has soared beyond pre-crisis levels of 45% (60% among youth), and mass displacement has disrupted access to services. Limited internet, frequent power outages, and psychosocial stress further compound challenges, while private sector shutdowns leave only a few essential businesses partially operational. These conditions demand urgent interventions to stabilize households, maintain employability, and plan for long-term recovery.
Under Palestinian government leadership, supported by partners like the Palestinian Employment Fund (PEF), the Minstry of Labour (MoL), the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the International Labour Organisation (ILO), and Enabel, responses include cash-for-work programs, mental health support, and adapted skilling through remote and hybrid models. Innovative measures such as wage subsidy pilots and Work-Based Learning (WBL) in functioning businesses aim to compensate for destroyed TVET infrastructure. Recovery plans prioritize rebuilding resilient training facilities, updating curricula for green and digital skills, and institutionalizing crisis employment frameworks to ensure rapid, coordinated responses in future emergencies.
2. Description of the project
In response to Gaza’s humanitarian and economic crisis, the Palestinian government -through the Ministry of Labour (MoL) and the Palestinian Employment Fund (PEF) - launched a multi-phase strategy to address urgent needs while building long-term labour market resilience. The Emergency Response Phase focused on rapid income support and employability through large-scale cash-for-work programs, remote coaching, and hybrid skills training using low-tech solutions. These measures targeted displaced individuals, youth, and women, while ensuring continuity of essential services despite infrastructure collapse and connectivity challenges.
The Resilience Phase aims to stabilize the labour market and restore vocational pathways by engaging the private sector in recovery efforts. Key actions include wage subsidy pilots to incentivize rehiring and a CVET model using Work-Based Learning (WBL) within operational businesses to replace destroyed TVET centres. Cross-cutting measures ensure policy alignment, transparent targeting, and robust monitoring. This adaptive approach integrates employment into humanitarian frameworks and institutionalizes crisis-responsive protocols, laying the foundation for scalable, resilient employment systems in future emergencies.
3. Outcomes and impact
Despite Gaza’s extreme fragility, the phased strategy combining emergency response, resilience measures, and policy alignment delivered tangible results. Over 2,000 workers gained immediate income through cash-for-work programs focused on community-based tasks like waste management and agriculture, ensuring rapid deployment with minimal infrastructure. Capacity building strengthened implementation: 60 supervisors were trained in technical and coordination skills, and 20 employment officers received specialized training on explosive ordnance risk mitigation, enabling safe operations in conflict zones. Remote coaching ensured continuity of job-matching and career guidance despite office closures and connectivity challenges.
Recovery efforts engaged the private sector through two innovative pilots: a wage subsidy scheme to reduce rehiring risks and a CVET-WBL model embedding vocational training in operational businesses to replace destroyed TVET centres. These scalable, low-cost solutions maintain employability and foster resilience. Strong institutional coordination among government, local councils, private actors, and international partners minimized duplication, ensured transparent targeting, and optimized scarce resources - laying the groundwork for long-term recovery in a volatile environment.
4. Challenges and barriers
Despite progress, several systemic and operational challenges threaten sustainability and scalability:
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Unstable Funding: Reliance on short-term donor cycles limits planning and continuity.
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Destroyed TVET Infrastructure: Over 70% of centres are inoperable, creating severe skills gaps.
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Limited Digital Access: Connectivity issues hinder remote learning.
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Human Resource Strain: Staff face burnout and insecurity.
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Lack of Crisis-Responsive Capacity: Existing programs are not designed for volatile contexts.
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Curriculum Gaps: Misalignment with future labour market needs (digital, green, entrepreneurship).
5. Lessons learnt
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Cash-for-Work (C4W): Essential for emergency income support but must include upskilling and clear transition pathways to avoid dependency.
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Wage Subsidies: Effective in accelerating private sector recovery; pre-designed frameworks enable rapid activation post-crisis.
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Work-Based Learning (WBL): A resilient alternative when TVET infrastructure is destroyed; provides practical, market-aligned skills and should be institutionalized in TVET strategies.
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Digital & Hybrid Solutions: Remote coaching and low-tech options (SMS, offline kits) sustain service continuity during connectivity challenges; integrate these into national frameworks.
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Mental Health & Inclusion: Psychosocial support and gender-sensitive approaches are critical for program impact and retention.
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Strategic Coordination: Alignment with national plans and shared monitoring tools reduces duplication, optimizes resources, and builds donor confidence; multi-stakeholder steering committees are essential.
6. Recommendations
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Programme Design: Use flexible, modular phases linking emergency jobs to training and employment; integrate short skill-building modules into cash-for-work projects.
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Partnerships & Coordination: Strengthen collaboration with local councils, community groups, and private sector; join multi-stakeholder platforms with shared targeting and reporting tools.
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Delivery Models: Apply low-tech digital solutions (SMS, offline kits) for remote learning; implement Work-Based Learning (WBL) in operational businesses to replace destroyed TVET centres.
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Workforce & Safety: Train staff in crisis-sensitive programming, remote coaching, and psychosocial support; provide safety training, including explosive ordnance risk mitigation.
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Sustainability: Secure multi-year flexible funding; update curricula to include digital skills, green jobs, and entrepreneurship for post-crisis labour markets.
Link
Palestine - Enabel - Belgian Agency for Development Cooperation
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