Skills development, employment services and local economic recovery for the construction sector in South Lebanon

This project contributes to employment generation and the social and economic recovery of South Lebanon by providing employment-oriented accelerated modular skills training programmes for priority jobs in the construction sector; and by offering institutional capacity building measures and interventions to support small business development.

Background

The South of Lebanon suffered massive destruction during the July War of 2006. This conflict resulted in collapsed systems, displacement of people, migration of skilled workers, and a general decline in the economic activity and incomes of inhabitants. Preliminary assessments of the destruction caused by the war indicate that the conflict has weakened virtually all sectors of the country’s economy, from small-scale farming, to transportation and tourism, directly affecting the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese citizens. There remains an urgent need for reconstruction and rehabilitation of a wide range of infrastructure, private and public facilities and, at the same time, to reinstate conditions for people to earn an income and rebuild their livelihoods.

Objectives

This project contributes to employment generation and the social and economic recovery of South Lebanon by providing employment-oriented accelerated modular skills training programmes for priority jobs in the construction sector; and by offering institutional capacity building measures and interventions to support small business development. Some of the immediate objectives include:
  • Upgrading the skills and capacities of training providers and construction workers to meet the demand and requirements of the market;
  • Support local small enterprises of the construction sector through the provision of business and management training, tools/equipment and access to micro-finance and grants; and
  • Establish an active integrated approach with the local Job Centres in South Lebanon to utilize its services to provide vocational counselling, guidance and linkages with the labour market.

Expected results

The following results will be achieved upon project completion:
  • The mapping and assessment of potential public and private construction training providers in South Lebanon.
  • Priority jobs in demand in the construction sector and identification of the level of qualification/employable skills required.
  • The improvement of the capacity of potential public and private construction training providers in South Lebanon via participatory approaches.
  • The improvement of potential construction workers skills and the establishment of a liaison with a training center.
  • The enhancement of financial capacities and managerial knowledge of construction SMEs.
  • Selected SMEs receive concrete tools/equipment and/or financial support (also through ongoing ILO Local socio-economic recovery strategies project and existing microfinance organizations) to recover and develop their economic activities.
  • Active collaboration established with the ILO project ”Support to Public Employment Services in Lebanon: Strengthening the Capacity of the National Employment Authority”.
  • Enhancement of services provided by the Job centre regarding construction sector.