This short guide informs on ‘work readiness and life skills’. It gives on overview on what skills are referred to and in which way can you improve these. The guide gives special attention to deficiencies in basic numeracy and literacy. Obstacles in addressing a lack in these skills are also touched upon. Companies that want to employ workers who have received VET often complain that new recruits are not ‘work ready’ and do not demonstrate the ‘life skills’ needed to ensure their employability.
Companies feel they are left to invest considerable time and effort to get VET trained workers ready to resume the job roles for which they were hired. Often, their concern is not that newly recruited job seekers do not come with the necessary vocational technical skills, but that they lack the basic life skills and self-confidence to learn on the job and through practical experience.
The objective of this tool is to provide guidance on supporting life skills and work readiness as part of VET or complementary to VET.
The target audience for this tool are:
• National vocational authorities and regulatory bodies, including training funds;
• National and international enterprises involved in VET partnerships;
• Public, private and mixed VET training institutes and VET preservice and in-service instructor training institutes;
• National, regional and sectoral business and professional associations and civil society organisation.
• Development projects/ programmes/ partnerships that support VET and life skills development for employment in and around large-scale investment projects.
Resource available: Guide