The AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Agreement) serves as a catalyst for new ways of doing business, producing, working and trading within Africa. If done right, this can lead to the creation of job opportunities and expanding economic prospects, including better integration into value chains thereby creating an environment for the quantum of jobs, self-employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities for African youth. In order to adequately take advantage of these opportunities, there is a need to first unpack these opportunities and reflect on what needs to be done.
Within this context, the AUDA-NEPAD’s Skills and Employability Unit will host a virtual brown bag on the Opportunities presented by the AfCFTA for Skills Development and Job Creation.
The brownbag will be facilitated by the respective Unit with the CEO as a key guest/speaker; this event will be limited to AUDA-NEPAD staff, however, external guests will be invited to provide inputs from a Skills Anticipation perspective and Youth point of view. This event also serves as pre-event to the hosting of the virtual SIFA Continetal Africa Creates Jobs! 2021 Conference which is set to take place on 3-4 November 2021.
What are the critical questions which need to be reflected on during this session?
- What sectors will potentially experience growth, on a regional or national level and what job opportunities will emerge or increase?
- Which skills are required to meet increased demand for growth in sectors and how can the system be more responsive and agile?
- What are some of the pathways for the informal sector in respect of skills development and recognition as well as capability building for informal business enterprises?
- What are the existing structural and systemic challenges to creating more responsive skills development systems and how these can be addressed?
- The on-going Regional ACJ workshops have shown that most needed is an enabling environment to drive transformation. What are the potential areas for further exploration and how can AUDA-NEPAD play a role in supporting the actioning of recommendations made during regional meetings? [Outcomes will be shared in advance].
Objectives of the virtual brown bag
- The main objective of this virtual meeting is to generate AUDA-NEPAD perspective on the potential opportunities for skill development and job opportunities in the context of AfCFTA
- Increase awareness and engagement about job creation and skills development strategic issues and explore opportunities for collaboration between AUDA-NEPAD programmes.
- Increase awareness on the Continental Africa Creates Jobs event.
