By following the course, you can expect to:

1. Get an overview of how these programmes have been used for economic recovery over history;
2. Gain an understanding of the role of PEPs in achieving full employment and decent work, as well as some of the key policy dilemmas and trade-offs encountered in the  use of PEPs;
3. Get familiarized with several tools for effective public programme design and implementation and assessment;
4. Acquire insights into the expansion of PEP activities into labour-based works, green works and climate adaptation as well as education and care economy;
5. Acquire knowledge of innovations and best practices of PEPs for decent work creation; including

• Getting exposure to operational and work organization methodologies and capacity building approaches; 
• Learning from several countries’ experiences and good practices.

The course will discuss how Public Employment Programmes (PEPs) can contribute to a sustainable recovery and will consist of six thematic areas:

Theme 1: Key concepts: Right to work, full employment, and employment guarantees

This module will introduce the key concepts that underpin the rationale for Public Employment Programmes, in particular in times of crisis and increasing unemployment and underemployment.

It will highlight their role in achieving full employment and providing a rights-based approach to employment. The module will also include discussions on PEPs and their role in fulfilling the social contract and how this may shift in a rapidly changing world of work.

Theme 2: PEPs in relation to investment, employment and social policy

PEPs generally have employment, social and investment related objectives. As such their alignment and integration with public investment, skills, social protection and active labour market policies are particular important.

This module will delve into the areas of overlap and intersection and identify areas of both synergies and trade-offs.

Theme 3: Essential elements of the design of PEPs

In this module, the defining characteristics of PEPs will be discussed. Tools for the design and assessment of these programmes developed.

This will also include case studies on how PEPs have been used to respond to the COVID crisis.

Theme 4: PEPs delivering assets, services and jobs in different sectors

PEPs can implement different work activities including environmental, social and infrastructure works. “Green” activities include the use of nature-based solutions for hybrid  infrastructure, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and ecosystem restoration.

Social works tend to focus on the care economy. This module will focus on how PEPs can assist in both improving coverage and standards in the sector, while infrastructure can include a wide range of construction and maintenance activities. This module will include several country case studies.

Theme 5: Designing PEPs for decent work

PEPs often operate in difficult contexts with large decent work deficits and thus it is important that these programmes incorporate measures to ensure the safeguard of minimum standards and conditions of work.

This module will provide guidance on amongst others wage setting, appropriate conditions of work, occupational health and safety, and measures to target vulnerable groups that face challenges accessing the labour market. This module will include several country case studies.

Theme 6: Critical operational issues and Monitoring and Evaluation of PEPs

This module will be focused on key operational issues that can be particularly challenging in PEPs, including contracting workers and making payments, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of PEPs and inclusion of workers and communities in decision making and accountability.

The module will also highlight how recent technologies such as mobile recruitment and reporting systems can be used to improve operations.

Learning will be facilitated and consolidated through a design exercise in which participants will interact with the course experts to design PEPs for different contexts and regions.

By participating in the course, without prior exposure to PEPs you will:

1. Get introduced to PEPs and how they contribute to various up-to-date challenges;
2. Get concrete experiences on how PEPs programmes are implemented in some champion countries, and assess the elements to maximise impacts.

By participating in the course, as a practitioner or policy maker you, will:

1. Consolidate your experience on what is working and what is not in designing, and implementing PEPs;
2. Compare your experience with other peers from different countries and raise lessons;
3. Be in a position to influence and/or apply new approaches/ innovations in your own PEPs programmes, or maximise the component of public works in your multidimensional poverty alleviation/SDGs related programmes;
4. Have the opportunity to collaborate on a hands on design project to design a PEP and so think through the various design questions and potential trade-offs and synergies with other policies.

This course is offered fully online on the ITCILO eCampus platform. It is implemented in an asynchronous modality where participants can plan their learning at their own pace. Furthermore, the course also offers opportunities for live debate and discussions through online webinars, which provide a platform for engaging with experts and peers.

The course modules combine online materials, webinars, and learning activities to help participants learn more effectively. Participants are recommended to complete the activities of one module before starting the next one, access to modules is not conditional on that.

The course has been designed according to a learner-centred approach in order to better involve participants and keep them motivated. Different methods will be used to make it highly interactive and engaging.