Economic Policies for Inclusive Job-Rich Growth
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Online
Economic Policies for Inclusive Job-Rich Growth
29 September–7 November 2025
The course is available in English
Introduction to the course
The global economy is navigating complex, interconnected challenges, including high interest rates, inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions, all contributing to economic uncertainty. Despite these issues, labor markets have shown resilience, with unemployment rates and job gaps falling below pre-pandemic levels and participation rates recovering. However, the outlook suggests worsening conditions, with more job seekers and declining living standards, particularly in low-income countries where income and gender disparities remain stark. The post-pandemic recovery has been uneven, with structural imbalances in labor markets and increasing economic divides between high- and low-income countries. As inflation and supply chain issues persist, there is a growing need for strategic economic policies that not only address these immediate challenges but also foster long-term, sustainable, and job-rich growth. The "Economic Policies for Inclusive Job-Rich Growth" course, devised by the Employment Policy and Analysis Programme of the International Training Centre of the ILO in partnership with the ILO Employment Policy, Job Creation and Livelihoods Department, will equip participants with the insights and tools necessary for crafting strategies that respond to these complex challenges and with a robust understanding of how to foster economic resilience and job-rich growth. This course is positioned as a vital platform and essential resource for policymakers, economists, and professionals seeking to make a tangible impact within their respective fields. It stands as an evolved successor to the previous year's course, transitioning the focus from the COVID-19 aftermath to a broader, forward-looking perspective on economic resilience and inclusivity. The course tackles these issues head-on, providing a comprehensive understanding of the global economic situation and its implications for employment creation. As inflation remains a stubborn hurdle and supply chain disruptions continue to impact economies worldwide, the course's programme is designed to offer nuanced insights into managing these challenges effectively.
Who attends this course?
The course is of particular interest to policy-makers, planners, technical officials of relevant ministries, and other technical experts from relevant institutions with basic economic understanding of economic principles. In particular, the course caters for policy advisors and practitioners from ministries of labour and employment, finance, economy and planning, sectoral ministries, central banks, social partners, researchers and policy analysts from international, regional and national organisations, academia and donor organisations who are seeking an advanced training on economic policies. A gender-balanced participation is sought.
Course Objectives
The main objective of the course is to strengthen the capacities of policymakers and social partners in the design and implementation of macroeconomic, sectoral and labour market policies and strategies to foster a robust and inclusive growth from unfolding crises while investing in longer-term structural transformation processes required to meet the opportunities and challenges of the 21st century.
The course aims at providing a comprehensive hands-on overview of analytical tools and the policy instruments that support policy makers, analysts and practitioners through a better understanding on how fiscal, monetary, and exchange rate/debt policies, frame sectoral strategies, and structural transformation processes and economic diversification, and how they impact on productive employment creation, in particular on women and youth.
What will I learn?
Through this course, participants will gain access to cutting-edge research, case studies, and policy tools that are essential for navigating the complex terrain of global economics in 2024 and beyond. The course refers to the ILO’s policy and normative instruments and its long-standing experience in research and technical advisory services to assist governments and social partners work towards employment goals, now adapted to the challenges of the ongoing context of policy crisis.
The programme is structured into the following modules:
Module 1: Labour market issues, trends and the policy challenge of continuing fragility
This module sets the context for the rest of the course by examining key issues and trends in the labour market in the current context of multiple global policy crisis. It sets out the policy opportunities and challenges in supporting robust and inclusive development in response to ongoing geo-economic fragility.
Module 2: Macroeconomic support
This module discusses the current rapidly changing macroeconomic context and the key elements of a pro-employment macroeconomic policy framework required to support aggregate demand, productive investment and structural transformation. It will also address the issue of inequality, the persistence of which undermines macroeconomic performance, economic growth and job creation, and discuss policy measures to address inequality including those potentially emanating from artificial intelligence (AI) developments.
Module 3: Gender-responsive economic policies
This module defines gender-responsive macroeconomic and sectoral policies from different perspectives and reviews their implementation as a response to the continuing economic challenges. Lessons learnt from the application of cutting edge policy tools in diverse developing countries contexts will be presented and discussed based on their potential to avoid women being left behind in growth and structural transformation processes.
Module 4: Identifying promising sectors for decent jobs
This module will deal with and provide practical examples of analytical tools to identify potentially promising sectors for technological upgrading, export potential and the creation of decent jobs.
Module 5: Skills development for structural transformation
This module examines skills development systems and how to make these systems more supportive of recovery and structural transformation, in addition to making them more responsive to the demands of rapid technological change.
Module 6: Implementing coordinated policies for job creation
This module will discuss how to ensure the effective and coordinated implementation of the different policy interventions highlighted during the course, including through the critical role of social dialogue in promoting a sustained job-rich and inclusive economy.
Format and methodology
This course is offered fully online through the ITCILO e-Campus platform. Furthermore, the course offers options for live debate and discussions through online webinars, which provide an optional opportunity for engaging with experts and peers.
Each module combines online materials, one weekly webinar delivered by ILO experts and ITC-ILO facilitators and offline learning activities to allow participants dive deeper into each topic and share with their peers. The course entails also the completion of an assignment that will be assessed by the ITC-ILO course team at the end of the course.
A certificate of achievement will be issued for participants who complete the following criteria:
- At least 90% attendance of live webinars and completion of offline learning activities.
- Completion of the final assignment and successful assessment, with a pass grade of 60%.
Language
The course will be delivered in English.
Registration
Find the application form at https://oarf2.itcilo.org/DST/A9717073/en and apply before 26 August 2024.
Cost of participation
The course is fee-paying.
Tuition: €1,135
ITC-ILO will offer a limited number of fellowships which may cover part of the tuition fee. If eligible, early applicants will be given priority. Please make sure to apply at earliest convenience before the above mentioned deadline.
INFO
International Training Centre of the ILO
Viale Maestri del Lavoro, 10
10127 Turin – Italy
phone: +39 011 693 6888 / +390116936549
e-mail: economics@itcilo.org
