Training Models for Employment in the Digital Economy

R4D has released a report (revised and reprinted in 2013) on training models for employment in the digital economy, prepared with support from the Rockefeller Foundation. With the total size of the digital economy estimated to be about $20.4 trillion in 2013 according to the International Data Corporation, the report examines skill needs for employability. Demand-led training models to boost youth employment in this sector are also examined, with ten case studies illustrating particularly promising techniques.

Our research finds that successful models incorporate a mix of training in general skills and ICT-specific skills:  general skills training includes soft skills development and English language skills, while ICT training is a mix of technical skills that is dependent on the job sector. We also see that post-training job placement is prioritized, and in order to reach scale, many programs are public-private partnerships, with financing and training provided by the public and private sectors respectively.

For more information on this study, please contact Shubha Jayaram at sjayaram@r4d.org.

Global & Regional Initiatives

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