National Conference

Session 1: Setting the Scene

Informal Sector in India has been a great challenge to the policy makers as well as practitioners. This session is the curtain raiser, where new understandings and concepts on the issues would be discussed. The session will highlight-

1. Challenges and priorities brought on by the Informal Sector
2. The development plans of the Government of India for the Informal Sector
3. Trends and the requirements for skills development

Session 2: New Knowledge, Skill and Competence Requirements for the Informal Economy in the Context of Globalisation

This session will deal with the social and economic demand for skill development in the informal sector.

Globalisation has created a great demand for a skilled workforce that is responsive to emerging market needs and is equipped with adequate knowledge. For people, especially in the informal sector to get productive employment, it is crucial to acquire skill sets with strong labour market linkages.

This session will address the institutional challenges and the value addition through technical change, skills upgradation and organizational and entrepreneurial abilities which will increasingly determine the sustainability of livelihoods and businesses in the informal economy. Not only globalisation but also the reality of poverty demands that new skills, literacy and life skills be promoted with a view to enhancing employability and Decent Work in the low income sector

Session 3: Favourable Policy Environment and Practices for Promoting Decent Work and Training for the Informal Economy

This session will address the following questions:

1. How can the informal sector be strengthened and activated, so that it can act as a vehicle of employment provision and sustainable economy as well as social development?
2. How can existing skill development practices in micro- and small enterprises and other out of school settings be utilized in transforming existing systems of education and training?
3. What policy measures need to be implemented to overcome literacy, knowledge and skill gaps in the informal economy?
4. What appropriate policies are needed to establish co-ordination mechanism among the various stakeholders that cut across various sectors?

How should a system for the recognition, validation and certification of skills and competencies (formally, non-formally or informally) be designed in order to improve continuing education and lifelong learning in the informal economy?

Session 4: Breaking New Ground- Training Strategies for the Informal Sector

The need to think of skills development in a broad sense has emerged from both past successes and past failures. Part of this holistic approach derives from the need to integrate objectives of occupational and social inclusion.

This session will highlight existing programmes of skills development catering to different target groups that have been crucial for the success of training and improved productive strategies.

It will deal with lessons learned with regard to designing training packages and new delivery modes and address the issues of quality assurance in training, the assessment and verification of providers and assessors, and the development of benchmarks for quality assurance and the means of accreditations.

Session 5: Partnerships and Networking: Public-private partnerships and networking with non-governmental organisations

This session will deal with how sustainable partnerships can be created between the private sector and the poor (street workers, garbage workers, self-employed women, construction workers, etc.) and how business interests and social concerns can be combined in a sustainable way

In recent years partnerships between state and non-governmental organizations have emerged, but they still need to be forged at the level of public policy and at the systemic level. This session will also deal with how collective bodies and community associations can present proposals to the state for training and education in the face of new forms of production of goods and services.

This session will also address the issue of networking among stakeholders for effective information exchange and collaboration.