18.07.2011: Conference: Local employment, skills and entrepreneurship strategies in the Mediterranean – Developing pathways for the future
Barcelona – Start date: 18.07.2011
The conference is organised by the Union for the Mediterranean in cooperation with the OECD LEED Programme and the City of Barcelona.
Themes of the Conference:
Theme I: The 3 ‘Es’ for fostering jobs for youth: Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship
As countries around the world emerge from the financial crisis with slow employment recovery, Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Algeria are mobilizing energies to address the large youth unemployment on a high-road to job creation. How can Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship be combined and fostered for youth integration in the labour market? Is there enough autonomy, capacity in the education and training sector? What examples of initiatives exist in the Mediterranean and OECD countries?
Theme II: Innovative approaches to foster entrepreneurship and SMEs
The Mediterranean region is rich in entrepreneurs and small firm formation. Innovative approaches to skills and talent development can foster a high-growth business environment with higher potential for job creation particularly in SMEs. What experiences exist for fostering entrepreneurship in the Mediterranean? How can entrepreneurship skills policies best contribute to sustainable employment creation? To which areas of business growth?
Theme III: Skills development to empower Mediterranean women
Integrating women in the labour market and empowering them to reach their full potential through entrepreneurship will bring significant talent and innovation to business activity in the Mediterranean region. Skills programs and initiatives from the region can be contrasted with those from OECD countries. In what areas do you find a concentration of women’s business talent? What are the barriers for skills development participation? What are the challenges for career development and entrepreneurship?
Theme IV: From theory to practice – Tools for developing rich-job employment and entrepreneurship lands in the Mediterranean
The design of skills and employment strategies and programmes should respond to local conditions and challenges, and should involve a wide range of stakeholders from both the public and private sectors to optimize the relevance and impact of such strategies. How can we forge better partnerships for skills for employment and entrepreneurship with such stakeholders? What are the obstacles to a joined-up approach? How can investments and talent from the Mediterranean Diaspora be better utilized? What operational pathways can be proposed?
The conference is addressed to policy makers from education and employment ministries, government employment agencies, and local government bodies, from Mediterranean and OECD countries. Relevant employers, technical and vocational education and training institutions, SMEs associations and bodies, community-based organizations and institutions actively involved in labor, employment and entrepreneurship issues across Mediterranean countries.
For further information please contact the Technical Secretariat, Mr. Lluís Carmona.
Tel. +34 93 4881177
E-mail [email protected]
