FINANCING INCLUSIVE EMPLOYMENT
Photo © Adobe Stock/Dilok
Online
FINANCING INCLUSIVE EMPLOYMENT
How to fund job creation and skills development
19 Outubro–13 Novembro 2026
Key features
Connected financing
Learn how to connect skills development financing with job creation financing, public expenditure and labour market demand in one coherent policy framework.
Favourable budgeting
Find out how to make the most of skills development funds, pro-employment budgeting, Employment-Related Public Expenditure Reviews (ERPEs), Labour Market Information Systems (LMIS)
Engage with experts
Engage weekly with ILO and ITCILO experts through live webinars alongside a global peer network
Apresentação do curso
Governments face growing pressure to create quality jobs and build the skills needed for productive employment while fiscal space and public budgets are tightening. Yet skills development and job creation are often planned and financed by different institutions, through separate budgets and policy cycles. This can result in training that does not match employment opportunities, or investment programmes that cannot access the skills they need.
The course Financing Inclusive Employment offers an integrated approach to this challenge.
Developed by the ITCILO Employment Policy and Analysis Programme, this online course connects skills development financing with job creation financing. It examines how governments and partners can mobilise and govern resources for training systems, use pro-employment budgeting and Employment-Related Public Expenditure Reviews (ERPEs), and align public spending with labour market demand through Labour Market Information Systems (LMIS).
Participants explore financing instruments such as training funds, payroll levies, vouchers, individual learning accounts, and blended finance. They also examine equity, accountability, social dialogue, institutional coordination, and financial sustainability. International case studies, practical exercises, live webinars, and group work support the translation of concepts into policy options.
Perfil dos participantes
The course is designed for professionals working at the intersection of employment policy, skills development, and public finance:
- Government officials and technical staff from ministries of labour, finance, education and TVET, and economic planning, as well as staff from national, sectoral and regional training funds and employment agencies.
- Representatives of workers' and employers' organisations, development partners working on labour market and public finance programmes, and civil society professionals engaged in workforce and employment development.
- Researchers and policy analysts working on employment, skills development, public finance, or human capital development.
The course is particularly relevant to officials, partners and financing institutions contributing to UN Global Accelerator National Pathways on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions.
Objetivos do curso
After this course, participants will be able to:
- Analyse the interconnections between skills development financing, labour market demand and job creation financing within national employment systems.
- Compare financing sources, instruments and governance models for responsive and inclusive skills development systems.
- Formulate pro-employment budgeting strategies that integrate skills development, job creation and decent work objectives.
- Apply the methodology and tools of Employment-Related Public Expenditure Reviews (ERPEs) to assess the employment effects of public spending.
- Use Labour Market Information Systems (LMIS), employment-focused indicators and data-driven tools to align training supply with labour demand while promoting equity and inclusion.
Course content
Module 1: The employment financing landscape
Examine unemployment, informality and the global jobs gap, and map the links between skills development, labour markets and public expenditure. The module introduces ILO employment policy standards, including Convention No. 122, pro-employment budgeting principles and the whole-of-government approach.
Module 2: Financing skills development - design and governance
Map domestic public, private, household and external funding sources for skills development. Compare training funds, payroll levies, vouchers and individual learning accounts, and analyse governance arrangements, public-private partnerships, performance-based allocation, accountability, equity and international TVET financing cases.
Module 3: Financing job creation - public expenditure and budgeting
Assess how public expenditure affects employment and explore the methodology and tools used in Employment-Related Public Expenditure Reviews. The module also covers Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEFs), Employment Action Plans, Employment Work Plans, Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs) and practical country exercises.
Module 4: Aligning skills and jobs - strategic financing integration
Use Labour Market Information Systems and macro- and sector-level diagnostics to connect training supply with labour demand and identify high-employment-impact investment opportunities. Explore how to integrate skills and employment targets into development plans, apply blended finance, define employment-focused indicators and strengthen financial sustainability.
Module 5: Implementation and advocacy
Consider the institutional arrangements needed to put integrated financing strategies into practice, including inter-ministerial and tripartite coordination, social dialogue and the role of sectoral skills councils. Review approaches to advocating for employment-friendly budgets and lessons from country experience.
Module 6: Group work presentations and way forward
Develop and present an integrated financing strategy for a national context, combining perspectives on skills development and job creation. Participants receive peer input, consolidate key lessons and identify practical next steps.
Why choose this course
- It connects the supply and demand sides of employment policy. Participants examine how skills financing, job creation, labour market information and public expenditure can be designed as one coherent system.
- It focuses on tools used in policy and budget processes. The course covers Employment-Related Public Expenditure Reviews, Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks, Integrated National Financing Frameworks, training funds, Labour Market Information Systems and employment-focused indicators.
- It supports coordinated implementation. Content addresses inter-ministerial action, social dialogue, accountability, equity and financial sustainability, with direct relevance to Global Accelerator National Pathways.
- It turns learning into an applied strategy. International case studies and collaborative group work help participants adapt the frameworks to their own institutional and national contexts.
Methodology
Participants learn fully online through the ITCILO eCampus over four weeks, with an expected workload of approximately four to five hours per week (18 hours in total). Each module combines self-paced readings and activities and a webinar.
During the six live webinars, participants will have the chance to engage with international experts and peer practitioners, discuss country experience and apply the course frameworks to real policy challenges.
Certification
Participants who meet the required attendance and activity-completion criteria will receive an ITCILO Certificate of Participation. The certificate is issued by ITCILO and confirms that the participant has met the course requirements.
Learn more about this topic
ILO webpage on Pro-employment budgeting and employment policies
https://www.ilo.org/resource/pro-employment-budgeting-and-employment-policies
Common questions
Do I need prior experience to participate?
The course is designed for professionals already working at the intersection of employment policy, skills development and public finance. No specific technical prerequisites are required, but familiarity with public budgeting or labour market policy is helpful.
How much time should I dedicate to the course?
The course requires an expected workload of approximately 5 hours per week over 4 weeks (20 hours in total), combining self-paced online materials, six live webinars and a collaborative group project.
What technical requirements do I need?
To participate in this online course, you will need a computer or mobile device and a stable internet connection to access the ITCILO eCampus platform and join the live webinars.
What happens if I cannot attend a live webinar?
Recordings and learning materials for each of the six live webinars are made available through the ITCILO eCampus platform so participants can catch up at their own pace.
How do I access the learning platform?
Registered participants will receive access credentials and detailed instructions for the ITCILO eCampus platform before the start of the course.
In which languages is the course delivered?
The course is delivered in English and French, with learning materials, webinars and group work available in both languages (the distance learning platform and documents are translated and simultaneous interpretation provided during webinars).
Please note that the French track of the course will be delivered only if a minimum number of French-speaking participants is confirmed.
Will I receive a certificate?
Participants who meet the required attendance and activity-completion criteria will receive an ITCILO Certificate of Participation.
Can I participate from any country?
Yes. ITCILO online courses are designed for international participants and can be accessed from anywhere.
Why choose an ITCILO online course?
ITCILO online courses combine professional training, international expertise, practical learning methodologies, and a global network of participants. Designed for professionals, they offer a flexible and engaging learning experience through a dedicated online learning platform.
Can my employer or organization sponsor my participation?
Yes. Many participants are sponsored by their employer, institution, development partner, or donor organization. Supporting documentation needs to be provided during the application process.
What is the course fee and how can I pay?
The course fee is indicated on the course information page. Detailed payment instructions will be provided during the registration process.
Are scholarships available?
A limited number of scholarships may be available for selected courses. Scholarships are awarded through a competitive selection process based on the information provided in the application, eligibility criteria and available funding. To be considered for a scholarship, applicants need to submit their registration.
