UNESCO and KRIVET, under the BEAR III Project, concluded a training of national experts and policymakers on Labour Market Analysis (LMA) in Sierra Leone.
UNESCO/Yussif Kamara
3 March 2026
UNESCO, under the framework of the Better Education for Africa’s Rise III (BEAR III) Project, funded by the Republic of Korea, has successfully concluded a five-day intensive training on Labour Market Analysis (LMA) in Sierra Leone.
Delivered in collaboration with the Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education and Training (KRIVET), the training brought together national experts and policymakers to strengthen Sierra Leone’s capacity to generate and use labour market data for informed decision-making.
The workshop, held from 20–24 October 2025, was facilitated by a team of three Korean experts under the BEAR III framework, supporting the country’s efforts to build a more responsive and data-driven skills development system.
The training convened 50 participants, including members of the Sector Skills Council (SSC) in Agriculture, economists, statisticians, senior government officials, employers, and TVET practitioners.
Institutions represented included:
- Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security
- Ministry of Technical and Higher Education
- Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
- Statistics Sierra Leone
- Local Content Agency
- National Minerals Agency
The diversity of participants ensured strong cross-sector dialogue between education, labour, agriculture, and industry stakeholders.
The training was highly interactive, combining expert presentations, case discussions, group work, and hands-on exercises. Participants worked in small groups to apply tools and methodologies directly to Sierra Leone’s national context.
The core objectives were to:
- Equip participants with practical skills to collect, analyse, and interpret labour market information
- Strengthen capacity to prepare skills analysis reports
- Build institutional expertise within Sector Skills Councils and Ministries
- Identify national experts who can support upcoming National Occupational Standards (NOS) development activities in 2026.
UNESCO/Rashid Bangura
Over five days, participants explored critical themes shaping Sierra Leone’s labour market, including:
- Labour market demand and supply dynamics
- Skills demand and skills supply analysis
- Employment and unemployment trends
- The agricultural workforce and agro-processing potential
- Post-harvest management and enterprise surveys
- Skills needs and digitalization opportunities
- Policy analysis frameworks
- International classifications such as ISIC and ISCO
The discussions were grounded in Sierra Leone’s development priorities, with particular focus on agriculture, agro-processing, and emerging economic opportunities.
Beyond technical tools, the training examined broader economic transformation strategies, including:
- Diversifying the economy beyond mining
- Strengthening TVET to meet industry needs
- Enhancing agricultural productivity
- Improving infrastructure and digital systems
- Promoting private sector development
- Strengthening governance and institutional efficiency
Participants reflected on how robust labour market analysis can directly inform these priorities by ensuring that skills development investments align with real economic opportunities.
UNESCO/Rashid Bangura
By the end of the workshop, participants demonstrated improved capacity to use labour market data to inform policy, programme design, and investment decisions. The training also fostered stronger collaboration among ministries, industry representatives, and TVET stakeholders.
Through the BEAR III Project, UNESCO continues to support Sierra Leone in building a skills ecosystem that is evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with sustainable development goals.
This initiative marks another important milestone in strengthening national ownership of labour market intelligence and ensuring that skills development contributes meaningfully to economic resilience and decent work opportunities.
This article is related to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
SDG 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Source: UNESCO and KRIVET strengthen national capacity on labour market