Policy brief
Strengthening apprenticeships for transitions to formality
Quality apprenticeships play a pivotal role in facilitating the transition from the informal to the formal economy. Key strategies for enhancing apprenticeships in the informal economy towards quality apprenticeships involve capitalizing on existing systems, promoting social dialogue, strengthening apprenticeship contracts, building the capacity of MSMEs and their associations, ensuring off-the-job learning opportunities, recognizing prior learning, and promoting equality, diversity, and social inclusion.
Successful interventions require a step-by-step and inclusive approach, involving professional associations and community groups, among others. They often go hand in hand with improvements in MSME’s productivity. Strengthening linkages of informal institutions with the national technical and vocational education and training (TVET) system is essential for sustained improvement.