AEC, AQRF and Developments; Commitments of ASEAN Member States on MRS and RMCS
Carmela I. TorresDWT Bangkok
ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
National Consultation Workshop: Implementations of MRS: Yangon, Mynamar
24 February, 2014
Outline
1. ASEAN Economic Community 2015 & ASEAN Leaders’ Statement
2. ASEAN Qualification Referencing Framework (AQRF) and Skills Mobility Tools; ILO Commitments to MRS with AMS; RMCS
- AQRF- MRA and MRS- ILO’s Initiatives to the Implementation of MRS-Institutional framework & Action plans-MRS Process-RMCS
3. Next Steps on MRS Implementation in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat
- Next Steps on MRS implementation- Collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat-
4. The AQRF Referencing Process- AQRF Referencing Process- Preparing for referencing- Key Steps for referencing process
1. ASEAN Economic Community 2015 & ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on Human Resources and Skills Development
Competitive region with
higher skills
Single labor market
Quality workforce
reputation
Investor attractiveness
Target international
industries
Fair remuneration and
remittances
Supporting decent work
Benefits of the AEC
ASEAN Leaders’ Statement
Recognize the role of education for economic development in developing national skills frameworks as incremental step towards an ASEAN skills recognition framework;
Recognize also the major human resources challenges that ASEAN has been facing in sustaining economic recovery and growth that include enhancing workforce competitiveness; improving workforce skills, rebuilding employment and accelerating productivity;
ASEAN Leaders’ Statement- Key Actions
• Enhance technical cooperation among AMS to improve the capacity and skills of ASEAN’s labour officials, particularly in CLMV;
• Promote sharing of experiences, best practices and knowledge in human resource development issues;
Foster Technical cooperation and capacity-building
activities
•Encourage tripartite participation in education and training
•Encourage social partners and public-private partnerships at regional and national levels to enhance skills development;
Promote tripartite and public-private sector cooperation
•Promote vocational training and workforce learning for the purpose of improving the employability and upgrading skills of workforce
•Develop national skills frameworks as an important strategy to raise AMS respective levels of skills standards, as an incremental approach towards an ASEAN Skills recognition framework;
Enhance the quality and skills of
workers
• Promote the sharing of experiences in the development and implementation of national lifelong learning systems among AMS
Promote lifelong learning
2 AQRF and Skills Mobility Tools; ILO Commitments to MRS with AMS; RMCS
ASEAN QUALIFICATIONSREFERENCE FRAMEWORK (AQRF)
AQRF, a common 8-level reference framework, will function as a translation device to enable comparisons of qualifications across participating ASEAN Countries
Designed and agreed among all 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS)
Currently members are strengthening their own national skills systems and planning referencing to the AQRF
Objectives
increase trade in services, particularly education services and the temporary movement of natural persons through the development of a mutually comparable national qualifications frameworks of AMS; and
strengthen the national education and training systems to make ASEAN workers competitive
Main Features of the AQRF
• AQRF will cover:a. Senior schoolingb. Technical and Vocation Education and Training (TVET)c. Higher Education
The AQRF:
1. provide a clear basis for mutual recognition of formal and informal learning
2. facilitate the free flow of skilled labour and the on-going development of ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs) for professional services.
3. is voluntary
ASEAN QUALIFICATIONSREFERENCE FRAMEWORK (AQRF)
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Country A AQRF Country B
QualificationsB
Qualifications A
Skills Mobility Tool: MRAs & MRS
Mutual Recognition Arrangements (MRAs):a key tool which establishes skills or
experience professionals need to work & ultimately be certified in a destination country which is signatory Member States-- thus facilitating easier movement of professional services providers in ASEAN
It aims to:- Promote the mobility of skilled
professionals- Attract regional talent to meet
staffing shortages- Boost regional competitiveness- Improve the quality of services
throughout ASEAN
Mutual recognition of skills (MRS):MRS will focus on technical/vocational skills
MRS will be necessary for countries with lessdeveloped skills systems
Progress in implementing MRS: varying levels ofreadiness of AMS (ILO study 2014)
ASEAN Countries could well benefit from andwould need to employ low to middle-skilled migrantworkers
Technical skilled workers with a modest skill set(e.g. tiling, shrimp farming) can have skillsrecognized through the MRS within the AQRF
ILO Initiatives on the MRS
Progress OutputsDec. 2012
Capacity Building Workshop: Towards a Mutual Recognition on Skills for ASEAN
[Bangkok, Thailand]
Initial Identification of skills areas for mutual recognition;Initial discussion with collaborating countries
Sept. 2013
1) Report: Assessment of the Readiness of AMS for Implementation of the Commitment to the Free Flow of Skilled Labour within AEC from 2015
2) Consultation Meeting on the Findings of the Scoping/Assessment Exercise Conducted on the Free Flow of Skilled Labour
[Bangkok, Thailand]
Assessed the readiness status of all the AMS;
confirmed the findings of the report to move ahead with identifying priority skills sectors for mutual recognition;
Oct. 2013
ASEAN Employers’ regional Workshop
[Bali Indonesia]
Presented the identified skills sectors to the employers;requested them to determine the demand for skilled migrant labour;
Sept. 2014
Consultation/Validation Workshop On the Implementation of Mutual Recognition of Skills in ASEAN Countries
[Jakarta, Indonesia]
1) Identified and validated two specific occupations for MRS implementation in a tripartite manner; 2) Developed detailed action plans for the MRS process.3) Specific focus on CLM countries
Assessment of the Readiness of AMS for the Implementation of the Free Flow of Skilled Labour by 2015 (ILO Study)
Main Findings
Readiness Countries
Can be ready for recognition for many occupations
Malaysia;Philippines
Can be ready for recognition for some occupations
Brunei Darussalam; Viet Nam;Singapore; Indonesia;Thailand
With support, can be ready for recognition for key migrant worker occupations
Cambodia;Lao PDR; Myanmar
Assessment of the Readiness of AMS for the Implementation of the Free Flow of Skilled Labour by 2015 (ILO Study)
RECOMMENDATIONS
ASEAN Secretariat proposed to adopt a coordinating role among several agencies supporting AMS for skilled and professional mobility through the AEC
A focal international agency be identified by ASEAN Secretariat to partner and provide technical guidance and support for its leading role across AMS and Development partners
The ILO further invest in priority skills areas (e.g. domestic work training and construction) for development of additional RMCS
The ILO Publish a booklet on good practice in the development of national competency standards and TVET qualifications; convene a training workshop for senior practitioners from all AMS
Institutional Framework of AQRF
Action Plans proposed by AMS
Country Priority Skills Areas ProposedCollaborating AMS
Cambodia Building/MasonryElectrical Wiring
Thailand
Indonesia Construction sectorTourism & hospitality
SingaporeMalaysiaBrunei
Lao PDR BricklayingPlastering
Thailand
Malaysia Tourism & hospitalityHousekeeping
Indonesia
Action Plans proposed by AMS
Country Priority Skills Areas Proposed Collaborating AMS
Myanmar WeldingSewing machine operator
SingaporeThailand
Philippines TourismDomestic work
MyanmarCambodia
Thailand ConstructionSewing machine operator
CambodiaMyanmarLao PDR
Viet Nam Tourism & hospitalityHousekeepingAutomotive technology
Thailand
Malaysia
ILO’s RMCS: INSTRUMENT for MRS Implementation
What is the Regional Model Competency Standards (RMCS)?
set of competency skills standards which acts as a generic guide to countries developing their skills standards/competencies; it is
a guide for a range of occupations across a certain industry
RMCS can be used as a regional benchmark for developing countriesfor the mutual recognition of skills like in ASEAN
Employers and workers need help to clearly specify their skill requirements to training organizations
Reduce time for countries to develop their own competency standards
Potential for use as regional standards in: ASEAN, APEC or GMS
ILO RMCS Series
RMCS developed (For finalization & publication)WeldingDomestic WorkConstructionAquaculture/AgricultureGeneric Units/Generic Set of Selected Core CompetenciesMechanical services
RMCS PublishedManufacturingTourism and hospitality
4. ILO Next Steps on MRS Implementation in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat
Next Steps on MRS Implementation
A. ASEAN Member states (overall)1. Identification of focal point for follow-up and implementation
2. Follow-up on developments of action plans3. Technical assistance; sharing of experiences & good practices
B. CLM Member states (Cambodia, Lao PDR and Myanmar):direct technical assistance
1. Benchmarking and referencing of skills standards in priority occupations
2. Development of curriculum & learning materials; additional RMCS 3. Consultation meetings with governments, employers, workers,
training providers and other stakeholders to advance MRS activities4. Capacity building activities
5. Collaboration and support to the ASEAN Secretariat on AQRF activities
6. Regional conference to share experiences and common concerns
Next Steps on MRS Implementation
Collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat/TF AQRF
Advocacy and awareness raising activities on AQRF- with a particular focus on CLM member states
- support to AQRF meetings/capacity building workshops
- capacity building workshops to CLM
Socialization of AQRF with Private sector, particularly with the federations in selected key industries.
Proposed main actions/activities:
1)National workshops with stakeholders
2)Training of Trainers and Assessors: assistance from Thailand;
3)Curriculum development under technical support of ILO and the project donor: Government of Korea
4)Capacity building workshops on skills standards, qualifications and certification development at national level in CLM in collaboration with Thailand and ILO
Outcomes of Action Planning for CLM
Cambodia
Building/Masonry
Electrical Wiring
Lao PDR
Bricklaying
Plastering
Myanmar
Welding(Singapore)
Sewing machine operator
Thailand Building masonry Electrical wiringBricklayingPlastering
Sewing machine operator (Myanmar)
Collaborating ASEAN Member state: Thailand
5. The AQRF Referencing Process
Preparing for ReferencingKey Steps for Referencing Process
1• All member states identify the lead agency for national qualifications referencing. This can
be a single agency or a collective group of agencies.
2• 8 level AQRF should be adopted by all members states for the referencing process;
meanwhile, the qualifications for which regional recognition is to be sought should be benchmarked against the AQRF levels (for example, Philippines can mange this simply since level 4 or 5 align easily; Myanmar can choose one MRS like welding with the chosen certificate for regional recognition aligned to probably level 2 of the AQRF
3• AMS need to ensure that the qualifications to be regionally recognized are backed up by the
quality and other requirements specified by the AQRF-TF; Myanmar will need quality assurance, assessment & certification to meet ASEAN stds but only for single welding certificate, & maybe to be awarding by 1 or 2 institutions; Philippines can seek recognition for all qualifications at the first 4 or 5 levels
Note: Such approach will allow Member States who DO NOT have a comprehensive NQF to be able to move forward the mutual recognition process.
MRS Process
ILO/ADB study: ASEAN Community 2015: Managing Integration for better jobs and shared prosperity
http://www.ilo.org/asia/whatwedo/events/WCMS_300205/lang--en/index.htm
ILO Study: Assessment of the readiness of ASEAN Member States for implementation of the commitment to the free flow of skilled labour within the ASEAN Economic Community from 2015
http://www.ilo.org/asia/whatwedo/publications/WCMS_310231/lang--en/index.htm
ILO Study by Employers: The road to the ASEAN Economic Community 2015: The challenges and opportunities for enterprises and their representative organizations
http://www.ilo.org/asia/areas/workers-and-employers-organizations/WCMS_248720/lang--en/index.htm
ILO Publications in ASEAN
THE ENDTHANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
For further information please contact:
Carmela I. Torres
Senior Specialist on Skills & Employability
ILO Decent Work Team Bangkok
Tel No. +66 2 2881780
E mail address: [email protected]