ILO Regional Skills Webinar series kicks off looking at skills and the green transition

BANGKOK (ILO News) – The role green skills play in facilitating the just transition in Asia and the Pacific were discussed by over 100 participants from some 20 countries during the first episode of ILO’s Regional Skills Webinar series on 29 October 2024. 

The Regional Skills Webinar series is an initiative led by the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok to facilitate knowledge exchange and regional dialogue on key issues and policy options for addressing relevant skills challenges in Asia and the Pacific region.

The webinar provided an opportunity to learn about and discuss relevant initiatives and good practices on defining green jobs, identifying green skills and promoting a just transition aligned with industry transformation plans.

During the first episode, experts from the European Commission, the government of Singapore and the ILO discussed relevant approaches in the development of green skills and the creation of green jobs in the European Union and Singapore. They also highlighted policy initiatives that facilitate skilling and reskilling of the workforce in response to the rapidly changing and sector-specific demand of skills. 

Tim Van Rie, Policy Officer, Digital and Green Skills at the European Commission’s Directorate for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion highlighted the establishment of an EU common language classification, i.e. skills taxonomy, for Skills, Competences, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) that includes 391 green skills. The EU approach is seen as a good practice that the Asia-Pacific region and its sub-regions might consider supporting the formulation of policies on green jobs and skills.

Meanwhile, Wee Siong Yeo, Director of Jobs-Skills Insights Division at SkillsFuture Singapore presented the green skills development ecosystem approach followed by Singapore, including the creation of the Green Skills Committee and Jobs Transformation Maps. He also highlighted the creation in 2025 of a Centre for Skills-First Practices which will support Singapore in developing national capacities.

During the webinar, relevant ILO research, knowledge products and capacity development tools were also presented by Olga Strietska-Ilina, Team Lead Skills for the Future of Work from ILO Headquarters in Geneva. These included a feasibility study on global skills taxonomy, a practical guide for greening TVET and skills systems and the Skills for Productivity, Environment and Economic Diversification (SPEED) sectoral approach tool developed by the ILO to guide the development of sector-specific skills strategies to facilitate the green transition.

Akiko Sakamoto, Senior Specialist in Skills and Employability at the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, who moderated the first episode of the webinar, welcomed the positive participation in the event.

“The webinar was a wonderful opportunity to hear different perspectives on how countries are attempting to achieve just transition. We have much to learn from each other and this type of exchange can help inform policy initiatives among countries in the Asia and the Pacific region. In view of the interest and level of engagement we look forward to holding further episodes in the future on key skills development issues relevant to the region,” she said.