Manila – The Institute for Labor Studies has met with representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to discuss Enterprise-led Learning Networks, which the latter has been advocating to be established in the Philippines last June 08 at the iLearn Conference Room, 5th Floor, DOLE Building, Intramuros, Manila.

OIC-Executive Director Mary Grace L. Riguer led the ILS team in discussing with ADB, represented by Mr. Kelly Bird, Director, Public Management, Financial Sector and Trade Division, Southeast Asia Department, and consultant Mr. Alan Nuzum, the background of the proposed initiative and the possible areas of collaboration, particularly on data and information sharing, technical capacity building, networking with other DOLE agencies, to name a few.

Enterprise-led Learning Networks is a concept adopted from Ireland and established and applied by Skillnets in 1999 with funding from its National Training Fund. The said networks are group of private enterprises in the same sector/region that converge to carry out training-related activities that they will not otherwise be able to do on their own. The same is proposed by the ADB for Filipino-owned companies to have joint-training activities with budget that covers the design of training, delivery of training and trainer’s fee. The ADB is looking at the following potential sectors as pilot for the said network: (1) Information and Communications Technology-Business Process Outsourcing (ICT-BPO); (2) Tourism; (3) Manufacturing (electronics, pharmaceutical, chemical, biofuel, automotive); and (4) Construction. For linkage, ADB is in the process of discussing the said Enterprise-led Learning Network with employers involved in the JobStart Philippines Program.

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