GWIT Capabilities

Examples of Team Experience by Focus Area

Building Workforce Capacity for Increased Competitiveness,
Economic Growth and Trade

Promoting Youth Development and Employment

Making Education More Relevant to Economic Needs

Strengthening Partnerships And Organizational Capacity For
Workforce Development

Addressing the Workforce Development Needs of Post-Conflict
Countries

Addressing Workforce Impacts of HIV/AIDS

Building Capacity of SME’s and Promoting Entrepreneurship

Building Workforce Capacity for Increased Competitiveness,
Economic Growth and Trade

A Governors’ Guide to Cluster-Based Economic Development
Azerbaijan: Cluster Study for Food Processing
Brazil: Market Analysis for Furniture, Apparel, and Textile Exports
Cluster Analyses for Montana and Louisiana
Clusters and the Disadvantaged
Creating Smart Systems: A Guide to Cluster Strategies in Less Favored Regions
Croatia: Business and Technology Park Strategy and Incentive Policies
Developing Skills Standards for the US Bioscience and Financial Services Industries
Djibouti and COMESA: Investor Roadmap Studies
Eastern Caribbean: Telecoms Policy Review for the World Bank’s Quality Assurance Group
Eastern Europe: Commercial Law and Institutional Reform Program
Egypt: Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI) Activity Design
Exports, Competitiveness and Synergy in Appalachian Industry Clusters
Jamaica and COMESA: Investor Roadmap Studies
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan: Development and Strengthening
of Trade and Investment
Macedonia: Competitiveness Activity
Mali: Textile-Based Artisans Competitiveness Project
Mississippi: Analyses of the Automobile, Communications and Information Technology (CIT)
and Forest Products Industry Clusters
Morocco: Free Trade and Workforce Development
Serbia: Competitiveness and Economic Efficiency Project
South Africa: Textile and Clothing Industry Competitiveness
South Carolina: Job-Related Education and Training Initiative
Sri Lanka: ICT Cluster Strategy Development/Policy Reform Roadmap
The Selden Project for Global Trade Law Assessment and Assessment
West Africa: Training of Power Pool
Yugoslavia/Serbia: Program to Strengthen the Environment for Private Sector Growth

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A Governors’ Guide to Cluster-Based Economic Development (2002)

In partnership with the National Governors Association, key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld from Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) developed a user-friendly policy guide on state economic development strategies that respond to needs of industry clusters and recognize differences in local economies. The aims of the guide are to explain what clusters are and are not, describe conditions under which they function best, and recommend actions for regional cluster growth and equitable distribution of benefits. Supported by the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. For a copy go to http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_4063,00.html.

Azerbaijan: Cluster Study for Food Processing

GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) has helped communities and regions worldwide to develop innovative regional workforce and economic development strategies to promote higher wage and higher skill jobs. RTS has conducted economic and workforce analyses in a wide variety of industry clusters, including automobile, information technology and forest products. In Azerbaijan, RTS is developing a strategic plan for the fruit and vegetable processing cluster; this project will be completed in December 2002. Supported by the World Bank.

Brazil: Market Analysis for Furniture, Apparel, and Textile Exports

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. was hired by the International Chamber of Commerce of Brazil (CAMINT) to conduct industry analysis and strategy development for Brazilian exporters of furniture, apparel, and textiles, in order to enhance the competitiveness of Brazilian firms in the U.S. market by providing market information, strategy recommendations, and lists of key U.S. buyers via an Internet portal. Booz Allen completed three principal components: macroeconomic and international trade policy analysis; industry analysis and supplier/vendor selection process (including key success factors for leading U.S. companies); and, development of the Importer Directory. The Booz Allen team delivered three detailed reports for Brazilian exporters, summarizing the results of the research and analysis of the furniture, apparel, and textiles markets, and making recommendations for the exporters. The results of Booz Allen's work were made available to Brazilian firms both directly and indirectly via the Internet portal.

Cluster Analyses for Montana and Louisiana

GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) analyzed the regional economies of the states of Montana and Louisiana in terms of industry clusters, including rural areas and Native American reservations. In partnership with DADCO Consulting, RTS is developing a set of cluster “business plans” for the greater New Orleans region. Supported by the Metrovision Regional Partnership.

Clusters and the Disadvantaged

Key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) organized a meeting of leading international cluster experts and practitioners, to increase awareness regarding clusters as instruments for promoting economic opportunities among small enterprises, in less advantaged regions, and low/middle income populations. This resulted in the product entitled Just Clusters: Cluster Strategies that Reach More People and Places suggesting more inclusive policies for clusters and economic development. Supported by the Ford Foundation. For a copy, go to http://www.rtsinc.org/publications.html.

Creating Smart Systems: A Guide to Cluster Strategies in Less Favoured Regions (2002)

Key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) developed this guidebook to serve as a “menu of actions” toward the creation of cluster-based strategies in less advantaged regions. Supported by the European Union. For a copy, go to http://www.rtsinc.org/publications.html and scroll to Creating Smart Systems: A Guide to Cluster Strategies in Less Favoured Regions.

Croatia: Business and Technology Park Strategy and Incentive Policies

For J.E. Austin Associates, GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI) has been active in a series of projects to enhance Croatia’s competitiveness in exporting technology-based products and services. DI focused on designing a national strategy and accompanying policy reforms, including drafting of a detailed enabling act, to remove barriers to local and foreign-owned ICT firms. Special emphasis has been given to incentives to establish and fund Technology Scholarship programs as a means of encouraging distance learning links and meeting skills gaps in critical technical fields. DI has also prepared site assessments for “quickstart” technology and business park activation, conducted web-based surveys on market response to the proposed incentives, and prepared preliminary economic and fiscal impact projections for review key public and private sector institutions.

Developing Skills Standards for the US Bioscience and Financial Services Industries

Key GWIT member Monika Aring and her team have increased the competitiveness of industry clusters worldwide by designing the process and conceptual models for developing skills standards for entry into various industry clusters. Aring has collaborated with employers, education and training providers, trade unions and professional associations to identify what skills entry level workers need to have and how to demonstrate the integration of knowledge and skills when applied to real workplace problems. Aring has linked the major occupational groupings to the major types of employers, connecting them with typical entry level occupations found within each cluster.

For example, the bioscience industry in the US faced the challenge of high turnover rates and lack of individuals with the right mix of entry level skills. To solve this problem, Aring and her Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) team conducted an analysis of skill requirements for this cluster by looking at the performance of master workers in biotech, pharmaceutical and clinical lab settings. A workshop was convened for all stakeholders to determine what skill, knowledge and abilities constituted effective entry level performance and formulate skill standards for entry. The workshop resulted in the development of a mythical “training occupation,” called bioscience worker, level 1. This training occupation reflects the skill profile required by all three sub-sectors of the cluster. Upon completion of this project, Aring and her EDC team worked with the National Skills Standards Board and many community and technical colleges around the country to develop innovative curricula, testing, and certification systems to meet the new skill standards. Supported by the US Department of Labor.

In Greater Chicago, Aring developed local skill standards for entry into the financial services industry cluster by working with the Chicago Community Colleges system, Chicago High Schools, and the Chicago financial services industry including IBM, and major Chicago banks and brokerage houses. Supported by the MacArthur Foundation.

Djibouti and COMESA: Investor Roadmap Studies

USAID and their local counterparts requested assistance from GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. in identifying key legislative, administrative, and procedural barriers to investment in a given country from an investor’s perspective by using an established methodology. This methodology assesses investment barriers that include land acquisition, construction, business registration, and various aspects relating to business operations, such as customs, inspections, employment, and taxation. In Djibouti, Booz Allen performed the studies and presented the findings to government officials. For the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Booz Allen redesigned the methodology to move from a country to a regional focus to satisfy the development needs of the local counterpart. The new approach, vetted with the local counterparts to ensure input and ownership, shifted from the traditional type-based listing of constraints to an analysis based on investors’ decision-making processes with respect to costs, revenues, and risks. In addition, Booz Allen provided extensive analysis of regional constraints that COMESA could address on a multilateral basis, as well as investment constraints on an industry basis, looking at the industry clusters for leather products, steel, oilseed, and textiles to identify reform needs. Booz Allen also identified gender issues and constraints and was careful to include women and multiple ethnic groups to ensure equitable treatment.

Eastern Caribbean: Telecoms Policy Review for the World Bank’s Quality Assurance Group

GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI) was engaged to assist the Quality Assurance Group (QAG) in its review of World Bank-endorsed telecommunications reform strategies designed to introduce competition benefiting ICT exporter and educational institutions in the Eastern Caribbean. The project examined tradeoffs of strategic options for introducing competition in an environment dominated by incumbent telecommunications monopolies. Subsequently to the QAG engagement, the incumbent providers in the region opted to accept liberalization measures endorsed by the Bank. The project benefited from extensive prior Caribbean field experience of DI principals in promoting telecommunications pricing changes and stimulating exports of ICT services from countries including Jamaica, Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent, Dominica, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

Eastern Europe: Commercial Law and Institutional Reform Program

USAID requested assistance from GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. in developing a methodology to assess the status of commercial law reform in any given country based on international standards for the purpose of assisting USAID Missions with their strategic planning for future commercial law reform activities. Booz Allen and USAID counterparts developed a cost-effective diagnostic methodology that investigates nine areas of commercial law (bankruptcy, collateral, company, competition, contract, foreign direct investment, trade, real property, and court systems) in four different dimensions (framework laws, implementing institutions, supporting institutions, and market for reform). The Booz Allen team completed diagnostic assessments in Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to assess the status of commercial law reform. Booz Allen also assisted USAID in leading a successful workshop held in the Czech Republic to review the assessment methodology, indicators, and findings. Several missions have already used these assessments in designing or refining specific commercial law reform task orders, as well as in coordinating overlapping efforts with other donors in order to leverage existing projects and focus resources for greater results.

Egypt: Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI) Activity Design

GWIT consortium partner Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. prepared a final detailed Activity Approval Document (AAD), vetted by the USAID Mission, to continue assistance to the Egyptian agricultural sector to strengthen sector competitiveness, enhance technology delivery, and support additional policy reform. The AAD described the activities to be implemented under the eight-year Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes project, the relationships between its components, and the results expected from each of them. Coordinating donor activities and gaining input from the stakeholders made this project design a successful endeavor.

Exports, Competitiveness and Synergy in Appalachian Industry Clusters

GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) has helped communities and regions worldwide to develop innovative regional workforce and economic development strategies to promote higher wage and higher skill jobs. Key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at RTS examined the export capability, competitiveness and degree of interdependence of seven industrial clusters in Appalachia including furniture in Alabama and Mississippi, industrial machinery in North and South Carolina, and medical devices in Pennsylvania. The analysis pointed to specific export barriers and identified steps to increase export capacity. Supported by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Jamaica: Investor Roadmap Studies

USAID and their local counterparts requested assistance from GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. in identifying key legislative, administrative, and procedural barriers to investment in a given country from an investor’s perspective by using an established methodology. This methodology assesses investment barriers that include land acquisition, construction, business registration, and various aspects relating to business operations, such as customs, inspections, employment, and taxation. In Jamaica, Booz Allen performed the studies, presented the findings, and assisted officials in addressing constraints. Booz Allen coordinated closely with an existing USAID Small Medium Enterprise (SME) project to feed the results into their program for further attention. By working synergistically with existing USAID projects, Booz Allen ensured that findings would be acted upon, not simply reported. Booz Allen also identified gender issues and constraints and was careful to include women and multiple ethnic groups to ensure equitable treatment.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan: Development and Strengthening of Trade and Investment

GWIT consortium partner Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. has worked with the Governments of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to improve their national competitiveness by streamlining trade and investment regulations and procedures, and developing associated institutional capabilities needed to join the WTO. The Booz Allen team provided technical assistance on foreign direct investment, licensing, concessions, intellectual property, standards, government procurement, antidumping/countervailing duties, customs, and other areas associated with liberalizing trade policy and WTO accession. With the help of the team, the Kyrgyz Republic joined the WTO in a record 32 months, and major steps have been made with the other nations towards fulfilling the requirements to join the WTO and in improving Customs administration. The team also completed thorough analyses of the legal, policy, and regulatory frameworks affecting trade and investment in the four countries, and assisted in revising key laws, regulations, and policies to meet WTO standards. The team received high praise for its work from host country government officials; from U.S. Ambassadors in the region; and, from many U.S. investors in the region who benefited directly and indirectly from the results of the work performed.

Macedonia Competitiveness Activity (MCA)

GWIT consortium partner Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. and its partner ontheFRONTIER, was recently awarded a USAID-funded project to build the competitiveness of Macedonian enterprises in domestic, regional, and global markets. Booz Allen and ontheFRONTIER will ensure local ownership and sustainability of this effort by facilitating the development of a Macedonian National Competitiveness Council. In addition, MCA will work with up to five Macedonian clusters. The efforts under MCA will contribute to measurable increases in cluster-wide percentages of Gross Domestic Product, exports, domestic market share, total employment, productivity, and other indicators that trace a cluster’s performance from year to year. MCA will also substantially develop the capacity of Macedonian business associations, local consultants, and other business service providers to support the private sector in Macedonia on a commercially sustainable basis.

Mali: Textile-Based Artisans Competitiveness

GWIT consortium partner Associates for International Resources and Development (AIRD), has broad experience in providing economic and workforce analysis for international development donors and host country governments. AIRD Senior Economist Lynn Salinger led a team, including two textile milling specialists, to examine prospects for exports for Mali’s spinning and weaving industries. The team also identified constraints and limitations faced by the textile sector inhibiting the production and marketing of high-quality, value-added exports under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The team concluded that large investments would be required to upgrade Mali’s industrial capacity, investments that were unlikely, given the difficulties of doing business in Mali. More rapidly realizable export potential existed in the downstream, labor-intensive, value-added textile processing industry, with greater job creation opportunities. In 2000-2001, Salinger and a product design specialist worked with textile-based artisans in Mali to identify feasible product ranges, develop a line of leather- and textiles-based products for export to the U.S., and show these at the New York International Gift Fair.

AIRD also recommended the implementation of a long-term coaching model to address the industry’s constraints. Such a model should include workforce training and marketing assistance. Longer term training needs for improving Malians’ technical capacities and developing an emergent level of commercial networks include technical training in fabric and leather dyeing, leather tanning, fine sewing and tailoring, and product development; management training; professional association development; and training in marketing, export, and trade finance.

Mississippi: Analysis of the Automobile, Communications and Information Technology (CIT) and Forest Product Industry Clusters

In Mississippi, GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) examined the state’s educational capacity to support skills training that will allow Mississippi companies to be competitive suppliers and producers of automobiles. RTS conducted interviews and focus groups with companies and education and training providers to identify key institutional capacities required to meet workforce needs. These capacities include increasing enrollments and completions in auto-related technician level fields such as electronics and manufacturing engineering, expanding Computer-Aided-Design course offerings, teaching more communication and teamwork courses, expanding the number of engineering graduates, and increasing Research & Development activities for the auto industry. Subcontractor to ICF, Inc., supported by the Mississippi Development Authority.

For Mississippi’s Communications and Information Technology (CIT) cluster, RTS analyzed the workforce development and skills needs of companies to identify specific labor requirements needed until 2006. RTS documented the capacity of in-state universities and community colleges to supply a qualified workforce for this cluster. The final report offers recommendations for improving linkages between CIT companies and educational institutions. These recommendations include establishing a private-sector led state skill standards and performance advisory committee, embedding entrepreneurial skills into CIT curricula, and improving counseling and support programs to retain IT students. Supported by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Mississippi Development Authority. For the executive summary, go to http://www.cit.ms/images/workforce_exec_summary.PDF.

RTS is also conducting an assessment of Mississippi’s forest products cluster and steps needed to foster its development, in partnership with the Forest and Wildlife Research Center at Mississippi State University. The analysis will define the cluster, identify strengths and weakness in terms of competitiveness, and identify gaps in industry presence, workforce skills, and supporting services. Supported by the Mississippi Development Authority.

Morocco: Free Trade and Workforce Development

There are numerous economic adjustment challenges to be faced in Morocco. The Moroccan industrial economy is already facing increased competition from the European Union. Under the terms of the EU-Morocco Association Agreement implemented in 2000, tariffs on industrial goods trade are being reduced over a ten-year period. An FTA with the United States would likely be broader, and include liberalization of agriculture and services sectors as well.

With forty percent of Morocco’s workforce presently engaged in a highly protected agricultural sector, increased integration with external markets will mean that resources will shift within agriculture or out of agriculture. Workers need the skills either to move from low-value, low-productivity production into higher value and higher productivity agriculture, or outside of agriculture into agro-processing, industry, and service sectors. Morocco’s rural population is also marginalized by a lack of education and training that would either allow them to benefit from technical research and innovation in order to modernize their approach to agricultural production and improve their competitiveness, or move out of agriculture and pursue employment in other sectors.

In addition, manufacturing and service sectors are in need of qualified professionals. Rural and eco-tourism are rapidly being promoted in Morocco, raising the demand for qualified service sector and artisanal craft workers. Morocco’s growing high tech sector suffers from a limited supply of qualified technicians. Firms increasingly call for skills related to product conception and design, international standards and quality, and laboratory-based research and development. There is also a growing demand for more sophisticated technical and business management skills, such as maintenance, strategic management, production management, planning, and logistics.

Several other donors are presently working on workforce issues in Morocco. AIRD is helping USAID and the Government of Morocco consider what additional workforce resources are needed to help prepare Morocco’s growth sectors to take full advantage of new opportunities under the FTA.

Serbia: Competitiveness and Economic Efficiency Project

GWIT consortium partner Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. and its partner ontheFRONTIER, was recently chosen by USAID to assist Serbia in developing and implementing strategies encompassing macro, micro, and business policy elements to help it compete successfully in the emerging global economy. The team will also help to identify general remedies and propose broad solutions leading to increased exports and investments. The team will first assess the legal and regulatory environment that influences competitiveness, as well as the performance of current exports and market segments with the greatest potential for future export growth, as part of a national competitiveness patterns assessment. The team will then work with Serbian counterparts in government, Parliament, the private sector, and civil society and the media to help them develop competitiveness strategies and action plans for selected clusters and for the nation as a whole, and building public awareness of and support for competitiveness initiatives.

South Africa: Textile and Clothing Industry Competitiveness

Key GWIT member Lynn Salinger and her team from Associates for International Resources and Development (AIRD) conducted an analysis of the economic competitiveness of South Africa’s textiles and clothing industries in South Africa, at the request of the South African Department of Trade and Industry. The team identified best practices and innovative workforce training strategies used by South African manufacturing firms through use of qualitative and quantitative methods.

The research publicized these best practices and innovative workforce training strategies to all stakeholders involved. Recommendations were made regarding economic policies, management strategies, approaches to in-house training of assembly labor forces, workforce training required by middle and senior management, production restructuring, and missed niche market opportunities. Private firms encouraged the authors to use this research to inform policy makers both in the Department of Trade and Industry and the Parliament. An extension of the analysis to the regional level was also recommended. Funded by USAID’s Africa Bureau, under the Equity and Growth through Economic Research cooperative agreement.

South Carolina: Job-related Education and Training Initiative

GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) analyzed the context for and characteristics of effective and innovative industry-driven workforce development programs in three types of manufacturing companies: metalworking, plastics, and chemical processing. The final report includes nine in-depth case studies highlighting best practices of U.S programs. Supported by the U.S. Department of Labor through the Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC).

Sri Lanka: ICT Cluster Strategy Development/Policy Reform Roadmap

For J.E. Austin Associates and Nathan Associates, GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI) provided a series of planning and advisory inputs in support of Sri Lanka’s USAID-backed ICT Cluster, a coalition of private business associations, legal specialists, venture capitalists, promotion organizations, and universities and technical institutes committed to improving the country’s competitiveness in global ICT markets. The work led to the adoption of a comprehensive strategy to work for far-reaching liberalization reforms, establishment of Centers of Excellence, and development of Virtual Business Incubators to spread awareness of skills and entrepreneurial opportunities of value in today’s global information economy. The Cluster, with DI’s support, subsequently was invited by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Economic Reform to prepare a detailed roadmap for policy reforms. Recommendations in the delivered roadmap, including initiatives in E-Government and E-Learning, have subsequently been integrated as key elements of the country’s pending national “e-Lanka” initiative, and won support from the World Bank as part of a pending US$100 million commitment to transform Sri Lanka’s capabilities in ICT.

The Selden Project for Global Trade Law Assessment and Assistance

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. was recently chosen to provide technical assistance to develop and apply an inexpensive and easy to use assessment tool concerning trade and commercial law that can be used in the context of trade capacity building efforts in cooperating countries. Booz Allen will conduct at least 11 trade and commercial law assessments over the life of the task order. The Selden Assessment Tool will create indicators for 17 trade law categories that form many of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements. The indicators for each subcategory will be created using a four dimensional paradigm, the four dimensions being: written or black letter law, implementing institutions, supporting institutions, and sustainability. This tool will be used to assess the quality of a country’s trade policy environment from the commercial law perspective and minimize subjectivity on the part of the assessor and provide indicators for comparison at a reasonable cost. Booz Allen will conduct a number of knowledge management activities, including preparation of conferences and materials for the USAID website.

West Africa: Training of Power Pool

One of West Africa’s most vexing infrastructure issues, acting as a serious constraint on economic growth, is the lack of a stable and secure energy supply throughout the region. Since 1999, the international investor community has supported West Africa in overcoming this problem through the construction of a natural gas pipeline from Nigeria to Côte d’Ivoire that will be used to generate electricity throughout the region. However, maximizing the efficiency of the regional transmission grid requires substantial inter-governmental collaboration in order to achieve consensus on legal, regulatory, and institutional agreements governing electricity trade and to establish modalities for technical cooperation and long-term planning in order to minimize costs and maximize grid stability. A regional electricity utility coordination body, known as the West African Power Pool (WAPP), has been established under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to promote such collaboration.

The development of a cadre of trained public utility professionals who can manage the technical and regional trade challenges posed by these investments has been fostered by a unique collaboration among AIRD, Purdue University, and ECOWAS. GWIT partner organization Associates for International Resources and Development (AIRD) has provided institutional support to a regional ECOWAS consortium known as the West African Power Pool (WAPP) since 1999. Supported by a cooperative agreement from USAID’s West Africa Regional Program, AIRD Senior Economist Daniel Plunkett and Purdue University’s Institute of Interdisciplinary Engineering have trained several West African specialists from national and regional utility agencies in the use of a least cost optimization model developed by Purdue, helped regional officials to establish the ECOWAS Energy Protocol, and are providing on-going logistical support to contribute to the increasing professionalization of WAPP. For further information go to http://www.usaid.gov/country/afr/warp/624-004.html.

Yugoslavia/Serbia: Program to Strengthen the Environment for Private Sector Growth

After conducting a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of the Yugoslav and Serbian commercial law framework, GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. and USAID identified several areas of commercial law that required reform, as well as local stakeholders that would support and take ownership of the reform efforts. Booz Allen worked consistently to bring together representatives of ministries, parliament, private business, and civil society organizations in “working groups” to draft legislation and policy changes that would improve the overall business environment, as well as to benefit particular industry clusters (in the cases of the electronic signature law and secured lending legislation). Booz Allen implemented a series of judicial training seminars to inform commercial court judges about both the theory and practice of special commercial law reforms. Booz Allen also worked extensively with local NGO’s to identify issues of the greatest interest to the Yugoslav business and legal reform community, soliciting numerous proposals, and contracting with seven local NGO’s to conduct surveys, workshops, and public education initiatives on a wide range of commercial law reform issues, including women’s access to credit, for over $115,000 in funding.

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Promoting Youth Development and Employment

Cleveland Youth Opportunity Project
Ghana: Developing Vocational Technical Entrepreneurs
Hermanos Jovenes/Young Brothers, C.I.T.Y. Project for Latino Youth
Tanzania: Timebound Program on Eliminating Child Labor
Youth Development Strategies for At-Risk Youth
Youth Employment Summit (YES)

Cleveland Youth Opportunity Project

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center (EDC) has in-depth experience designing and implementing programs to identify and support the needs of at-risk youth and adults outside of the formal school system, both at the grassroots and national levels. EDC is instrumental in developing the Cleveland Youth Opportunity Project, a comprehensive education, job training, and job placement system for out-of-school youth. EDC’s role is designing a model program to prepare students for municipal careers, providing professional development to instructors of career training programs and offering strategic planning assistance on the development of a community-wide service delivery system. Under the Youth Offenders School-to-Work Demonstration Project, EDC is providing assistance on the design and piloting of an information technology school-to-work program for incarcerated youth transitioning back into their communities. Funded by the US Department of Labor.

Ghana: Developing Vocational Technical Entrepreneurs

GWIT partner organization Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) provided technical assistance to its Africa affiliate, OIC Ghana, to introduce a business skills training element into its 30-year traditional vocational technical skills training curriculum. After 3 decades of training youth for job placement, new entrepreneurship and business start-up courses will enable self-employment among its graduates. This has been in response to the realities of the local labor market where job placement became increasingly difficult. OIC Ghana is also assisting the government’s efforts to strengthen the country’s private sector and tackle youth unemployment problems through improved policies and institutional reform.

Hermanos Jovenes/Young Brothers, C.I.T.Y. Project

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center (EDC) has in-depth experience designing and implementing programs to identify and support the needs of at-risk youth and adults outside of the formal school system, both at the grassroots and national levels. The C.I.T.Y Project is collaboration between EDC, several community-based organizations and the Joseph Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. EDC is developing and evaluating community-level interventions that provide young Latino men with the skills, services, and social support they need to stay healthy. Supported by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Center for HIV prevention.

Tanzania: Timebound Program on Eliminating Child Labor

This program by prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center (EDC) works to broaden the educational opportunities available to Tanzania’s rising number of vulnerable child laborers and develop a delivery system for high quality basic education that these working children can easily access. It also builds the capacity of both private and public institutions to support the new delivery system and mobilizing communities to assist children in taking advantage of it. These new educational methods combined with a broad range of supportive institutions and a growing community motivation to educate child laborers will enable children to acquire the literacy and numeracy they need to better their employment and educational prospects. Supported by the US Department of Labor.

Youth Development Strategies for At-Risk Youth

GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass and her team at the National Governor’s Association (NGA) led a 10-state multi-disciplinary youth development network to promote more holistic approaches to helping youth become competent and productive adults. These strategies involve community service and work-based learning, enhanced adult-youth interaction, mentoring and private sector involvement. The policy initiatives of four of these states-Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and New York are highlighted in a recent NGA publication. For further information, go to http://www.nga.org/cda/files/000727YOUTHDEV.pdf.

Youth Employment Summit (YES)

YES is a project aligning governments, international agencies, NGOs, leaders in the private sector, and youth, with a common mission: to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for youth, particularly youth in poverty. Key GWIT member Monica Aring was instrumental in the vision and creation of this project. In September 2002, YES hosted the Alexandria Summit in Alexandria, Egypt, to focus attention on the employment needs of youth worldwide, and to create partnerships for taking action. The Campaign of Action Decade was launched at the Summit, with a goal of creating productive sustainable livelihoods for an additional 500 million young adults by the year 2012. YES is further strengthening the campaign through Summits and Regional Forums, in-country Networks, Internet-based resources, and YES programs. Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center (EDC) serves as the YES Secretariat conducting research, directing projects designed to improve workforce education and training methods, and coordinating a global network of youth-led and youth serving organizations. EDC supports this program. For more information go to http://www.youthemploymentsummit.org.

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Making Education More Relevant to Economic Needs

Accelerating Innovation: Benchmark Practices at Rural Community Colleges
Breakthrough Study of High Performing Organizations: Increasing Competitiveness through Improved Learning Strategies
Cleveland: Youth Opportunities Unlimited Project
Community College/Cluster Connections
Compass to Workforce Development
Conducting Rapid Appraisals
Distributive Training Technology Project for Distance Learning
Egypt IT Workforce Strategy
E-Learning Initiatives for World Bank Africa
FAMS Program
India: Building NGO capacity
Indonesia: Twinning Arrangement to Expand IPTEKnet, the Science & Technology Network
Harlem: Community Technology Centers (CTC)
Information Technology Career Cluster Initiative
International IT Program Improvement
International Learning and Innovation Networks
International Comparisons of Performance Assessment Systems for Technical Colleges
Kyrgyzstan: Workforce and Enterprise Development Systems Reform
Learning Through Simulated Information Technology Enterprises
Mali: Study on the Extension and Promotion of Internet Services
Mississippi: Strategic Plan on Workforce Education and Training
National School-to-Work Consortium
New Hampshire: Industry and Educator Coalition
Operation Breakthrough-a Partnership with Mobil Oil Corporation and Beaumont TX Public School System
Pennsylvania: Connecting Education and Training Providers to Industry Clusters
Peru: Improving the Performance of Labor Market Intermediaries
Sri Lanka: Centers of Excellence
The Moving Ahead Program (MAP)
Offshore Development of E-Learning Resources

Accelerating Innovation: Benchmark Practices at Rural Community Colleges

GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) assisted rural community colleges worldwide by, through a competitive selection process, identifying and profiling 43 benchmark dynamic and effective programs at colleges that are helping rural businesses and labor forces adapt to the challenges of the new rural economy. These practice profiles, available at http://www.rtsinc.org/benchmark, may be searched by location, type of practice, target population, and type of economy. Practices range from efforts to teach organic agriculture farmers, to community IT centers to natural-resourced based training programs. Supported by the US Department of Agriculture’s Fund for Rural America.

Breakthrough Study of High Performing Organizations: Increasing Competitiveness through Improved Learning Strategies

GWIT member Monica Aring published a breakthrough research project, analyzing how people learn at work outside training events. America’s most successful high performing organizations such as Motorola, Boeing, Siemens, and many small and mid-size companies participated in the research design. Aring raised $3 million for this project, which sent teams of PhD experts in learning, competitiveness, psychology, and economics into seven high performing corporations to learn how workers learned at work. The study empirically demonstrates that between 70 and 100 percent of worker learning occurs in the process of participating in 13 specific workplace activities. Participating in these activities results in the acquisition of 32 sets of competencies critical to worker and workplace success. The study was published by major media throughout the world and resulted in a number of changes instituted by employers to facilitate workplace learning. The study has led to a number of follow on PhD studies published in universities in Canada, US, Germany, and the UK.

Cleveland: Youth Opportunities Unlimited Project

Youth Opportunities Unlimited, a community based organization designed to place youth in summer jobs, was concerned about lack of employer participation in its programs for youth. GWIT member Monica Aring coached the organization on how to work with area employers to find out what skills they felt were missing. As a result, Youth Opportunities raised over a million dollars for a variety of employer/school partnerships throughout the greater Cleveland area.

Community College/Cluster Connections

GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) helped four technical colleges in the US and Europe assess, compare and describe exemplary industry cluster or sector-focused activities that result in increased understanding of relationships between education and clusters. The analysis looked at electronics in Silicon Valley and southern Denmark and furniture in Ireland and Mississippi. Supported by the Center for Community College Research at Columbia University. For a copy, go to http://www.rtsinc.org/publications.html, click on Workforce Development and scroll to Community College/Cluster Connections.

Compass to Workforce Development

Key GWIT member Monica Aring and her Education Development Center (EDC) team prepared a study and toolkit of best practices for demand-driven workforce development as exemplified by public private partnerships in 20 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This was at the request of USAID’s Global Bureau. The project prepared a video and developed an analytic study that reviewed over 100 nominees for best practices. Aring and her team developed 9 principles which characterize effective workforce development systems. To expand on dissemination efforts, EDC also developed a web site and LISTSERV on international workforce development issues. The Compass is used by world donor organizations and researchers around the world. A copy of the report can be downloaded at http://www.dec.org/pdf_docs/PNACB077.pdf.

Conducting Rapid Appraisals

Rapid Appraisals of workforce systems can be conducted under GWIT. GWIT member Monica Aring and her teams have conducted rapid appraisals in Peru, India, Namibia, Kyrgyztan, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Chile, Germany, Denmark, Poland, South Africa, Ghana, Senegal, and Honduras. Rapid appraisals of workforce development systems can be conducted under GWIT.
For a model scope of work view Workforce Rapid Appraisal Profile (PDF).

Distributive Training Technology Project for Distance Learning

In support of the US Army National Guard, under a GSA FEDSIM contract, GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. provided acquisition, management, and technical support services to fully develop, implement, deploy, sustain, and support the National Guard Distributed Learning Network. The mission of the distance learning network was to improve the military readiness of the National Guard through access to distributed learning resources, improve C4 capabilities, and demonstrate the concept of shared use. Shared use is a program mandated by Congress under which distributed learning resources are made available to communities and organizations on a space-available, cost-reimbursement basis.

Egypt IT Workforce Strategy

GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI) worked with PriceWaterhouseCoopers to provide inputs on workforce development opportunities and strategies to leading Egyptian ICT firms, educational institutions, associations, and public sector organizations. DI conducted a requirements analysis, drafted national strategy recommendations, engaged an ICT “Cluster Coach,” and prepared a prototype CD-ROM and web site (“IT Opportunities Portal”) introducing Egyptian ICT entrepreneurs to a range of telework export opportunities, free online business startup resources, and virtual internship/work-study opportunities. DI also identified opportunities for Egyptian micro-entrepreneurs to conduct credential-building outsourcing projects in transcription and graphics for prestigious U.S.-based education ventures, including Ideachannel.com.

E-learning Initiatives for World Bank Africa

GWIT consortium partner Development Informatics (DI) has developed e-learning authoring tools, offshore sourcing solutions, and planning inputs for offshore “virtual internship” initiatives for the World Bank’s Africa Bureau. These materials have made it possible for videotaped lectures and workshops on HIV/AIDS and other key topics to be rapidly and affordably converted into just-in-time learning formats for CD-ROM and intranet delivery. Similarly, DI assisted the Bank’s Multilateral Investment Guaranty Agency (MIGA) in enhancing web sites and preparing e-learning resources for affiliated Investment Promotion Agencies.

FAMS Program

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center, Inc. is a recognized leader in the United States in curriculum design and the development of educational standards that raise the bar for achievement and make learning more relevant to the needs of the workplace and a changing economy. In achieving these goals, EDC maximizes available information technologies and effectively partners with the private sector. EDC is working with the Ford Motor Company to update their highly successful FAMS high school program that integrates academic content with work-based learning. In FAMS2 EDC will integrate new communication technologies and education standards into the program. Supported by the Ford Motor Company. Go to http://www.famsonline.org/overview/.

India: Building NGO Capacity

India’s poor women labor some 140 hours a week in the fields, doing basic subsistence work. With support from USAID Global Bureau and the India Mission, and in partnership with the Swaminathan Foundation in India, key GWIT member Monica Aring and her team organized a week long conference of 40 NGO’s from India and Bangladesh. The purpose of the conference was to support capacity building of NGO’s and maximize NGO interaction and learning. The conference was highly effective in that each NGO leader left with a clear action plan for how they could help their constituents reduce the number of hours spent on subsistence work while raising client incomes above the extreme poverty levels.

Indonesia: Twinning Arrangement to Expand IPTEKnet, the Science & Technology Network

Like many other developing economies, the Government of Indonesia (GOI) is seeking to expand links to its citizenry via the internet to disseminate information and facilitate development. This project by GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. is the first major World Bank-funded effort to link the expansion of internet networks with broader research and development, science and educational goals for developing countries. This network, known as IPTEKnet, serves as a government-owned Internet Service Provider (ISP), serving government agencies, universities, colleges, and think tanks. Booz Allen is currently collaborating with the GOI to design and implement a detailed business plan for the expansion of IPTEKnet. The related Indonesian Government Online (GOL) Project entails designing a best practices vision for the Indonesian GOL with IPTEKnet as the primary ISP, raising awareness and buy-in among government officials, the citizenry, and the private sector through balanced incentives and partnerships. The final phase describes public/private sector partnership options as well as training programs. Booz Allen’s focus on the internet, its use in development objectives, and creating vibrant telecom markets are aimed both at improving service delivery and jump-starting cross-communication between the government, service industries and the broader economy.

Harlem: Community Technology Centers (CTC)

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is a recognized leader in the United States in curriculum design and the development of educational standards that raise the bar for achievement and make learning more relevant to the needs of the workplace and a changing economy. In achieving these goals, EDC maximizes available information technologies and effectively partners with the private sector. EDC plays a key role in Community Technology Centers in Harlem by advising on the development of a technology curriculum and evaluating the implementation process. CTCs help people get free or low-cost access to computers and computer-related technology, such as the Internet, together with learning opportunities that encourage exploration and discovery. Supported by the US Department of Education. Go to http://www.ctcnet.org/ and http://www2.edc.org/newsroom/features/ctcnet2000.asp.

Information Technology Career Cluster Initiative

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is a recognized leader in the United States in curriculum design and the development of educational standards that raise the bar for achievement and make learning more relevant to the needs of the workplace and a changing economy. In achieving these goals, EDC maximizes available information technologies and effectively partners with the private sector. EDC leads a consortium of ten states in developing and pilot-testing the U.S. Department of Education’s information technology (IT) career cluster model, curriculum framework, and related standards-based assessments that integrate IT skill standards with state standards. Supported by the US Department of Education, Office of Vocational Skills and Adult Education. For additional information go to http://www.edc.org/EWIT.

International IT Program Improvement

Over two years, GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) in partnership with the Danish Technological Institute, is comparing the two countries’ IT employment and training needs, their sub-baccalaureate IT training curricula and non-credit IT training programs. The project will result in recommendations for improving IT training and education in both countries, and ways in which each country can benefit from increased cooperation with each other. Supported by the US Department of Education and the European Union.

International Learning and Innovation Networks

Key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) are currently establishing alliances of 5 to 10 colleges in various regions of the world to work on areas of common need such as reaching the poorest populations, serving a particular industry sector, or building entrepreneurial competencies. Each “learning network” comprises six to eight colleges that jointly develop a specific, outcome-oriented action plan and carries out its work with a facilitator, using electronic communications and face-to-face activities. Supported by the Ford Foundation.

International Comparisons of Performance Assessment Systems for Technical Colleges

Key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) compared evaluation and assessment measures, methods, tools and outcomes used in post-secondary vocational/technical college systems and institutions. This analysis was conducted in four countries with education systems similar to US community colleges: Canada, the UK, Ireland and Denmark. Key lessons include ensuring that institutions’ performance measures reflect missions; applying tightly defined measures; and using results to improve performance, not to compare to other colleges. Supported by the National Assessment of Vocational Education, US Department of Education. For a copy, go to http://www.rtsinc.org/publications.html, click on Workforce Development and scroll to A Comparative Analysis of Performance Assessment Methods and Outcomes in Four Countries

Kyrgyzstan: Workforce and Enterprise Development Systems Reform

The Asian Development Bank asked key GWIT member Monica Aring to direct a project to address Kyrgyztan’s technical education and training system. Aring led a team of 19 consultants to change their approach from an expert-driven model of development to one in which stakeholders in the country’s system could design their own strategies for their system’s overhaul. Aring and her Swedish team-leader lead a forum of the country’s key leaders in education, training, employment, and policy to come together and design the outcomes, strategies and policies for their country’s new workforce development system. These outcomes and strategies became the Terms of Reference (TOR) for a proposed $25 million dollar ADB loan.

Learning Through Simulated Information Technology Enterprises

GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) is leading a network of eight U.S. and three non-U.S. community colleges, university experts, and industry leaders in developing and pilot-testing a way to prepare technical workers for the information technology service industry that promotes contextual and systematic learning using two realistic but fictitious IT enterprises. Supported by the National Science Foundation.

Mali: Study on the Extension and Promotion of Internet Services

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. provided a strategy, technical specifications, and an action plan to USAID in Mali for the extension of internet services and connectivity to selected partner institutions in order to provide Mali with increased access to information. The study team focused on providing internet access to the various institutions within the University of Mali System. The team also defined an approach and strategy for general development partner connectivity. In addition, the team examined the current status of the internet services sector in Mali and potential obstacles to growth and sustainability. Booz Allen also developed a competitive grant program for general development partner connectivity.

Mississippi: Strategic Plan on Workforce Education and Training

Key GWIT member Stuart Rosenfeld and his team at Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) developed a strategic plan for Mississippi’s community colleges that will make their workforce training and education programs more demand-driven. This plan calls for shifting state training dollars toward strategic goals such as better linking training with industry clusters, supporting entrepreneurial competencies, and offering more intensive technical training. The plan also recommends developing a system to offer credit that builds toward qualifications for short-term vocational training. Supported by Mississippi’s State Board of Junior and Community Colleges.

National School-to-Work Consortium

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) leads this consortium which provides technical assistance to states with School-to-Work Opportunities Act implementation grants. Through this activity, EDC has evaluated school-to-career initiatives in three states, trained teachers in Washington State to integrate skill standards into their curriculum and trained teachers in Virginia in assessment. In partnership with the American Association for Immunology, EDC is linking high school and middle teachers with practitioners to develop classroom teaching materials for dissemination. Supported by the US Department of Labor, National School-to-Work Office. Go to http://12.17.12.70/aai/committees/education/high.htm.

New Hampshire: Industry and Educator Coalition

Working with the Chamber of Commerce, education and training providers, and leading high tech employers, key GWIT member Monica Aring led a New Hampshire industry/educator coalition to enable area high technology companies to develop more effective partnerships with education suppliers. The project resulted in a new university/college initiative to provide better training and related services for high technology employers throughout the state.

Operation Breakthrough-A Partnership with Mobil Oil Corporation and Beaumont TX Public School System

Mobil Oil Corporation approached key GWIT member Monica Aring and her team at the Education Development Center (EDC) to develop a more effective school to work system in Beaumont, TX. Until the late 80’s, the Beaumont refinery employed most high school graduates. However, after the installation of a new high technology process control system, it became evident that the skills required for this type of work were far too sophisticated for Beaumont High School graduates, who were unable to find entry level jobs in the area’s largest employer. Aring and her team worked with Mobil Corporation, other employers, parents and teachers to improve the teaching of math and science. The project resulted in a continuous improvement approach, linking educators to mentors in the refinery, developing revised curricula, summer school internships and specific workplace application for math and science problems.

Pennsylvania: Connecting Education and Training Providers to Industry Clusters

In Pennsylvania, GWIT partner organization Regional Technology Strategies (RTS) is developing a set of demand driven criteria for describing general and cluster specific attributes of the region’s workforce development institutions for three broadly defined clusters: healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology. This will result in a plan for making education and training services more responsive to the needs of the selected industry clusters. Supported by the Pennsylvania Economy League.

Peru: Improving the Performance of Labor Market Intermediaries

To help shift Peru’s exports from raw commodities (copper) to high value added products (copper piping), key GWIT member Monica Aring worked with USAID Peru and the Peruvian Federation of Employers to design a high level forum where industry and education leaders (including the Ministers of Education and Labor) could come together to develop a more effective skill development system for their country’s manufacturing workers. To encourage participants to think outside the box, Aring and her team flew in various leaders from other countries to provide testimonials, support, and examples of how they had approached difficult skill gap problems in their respective countries. The project was highly successful, and resulted in the formation of an NGO committed to improving the skills of Peru’s workforce.

Sri Lanka: Centers of Excellence

GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI) provides ICT-based (information and communications technologies) solutions to help countries succeed and adjust well to rapid turns in technologies and business conditions in changing global markets. DI also helps countries stay abreast of current trends in skills formation, on-the-job training and enterprise support.
DI has played a lead role in identification of market niches and provision of startup planning and implementation support for ICT-oriented Centers of Excellence in Sri Lanka. Based at the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, the University of Moratuwa, and Columbo University, the Centers have begun developing programs with inputs from international advisors in the areas of E-Government, Software Project Management, and E-Learning. The Centers, which are outgrowths of Sri Lanka’s USAID-supported ICT Cluster strategy, will capitalize on the country’s accelerating telecommunications reforms to engage North American, European, and Asian universities and technical institutes in teleseminars and joint research projects benefiting Sri Lanka’s public and private sectors. Highlights of these activities will be incorporated in Virtual Business Incubators.

The Moving Ahead Program (MAP)

Prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is working with Boston’s St. Francis House MAP program, an innovative and highly successful job readiness and life transition skills program for homeless people with drug abuse problems. EDC and MAP are co-developing a MAP model curriculum for distribution to other programs around the country as an example of best practice. Funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Go to http://www.stfrancishouse.org/map.htm.

Offshore Development of E-Learning Resources

GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI), in partnership with Openworld Learning LLC, engaged offshore partners in the creation of on-demand learning resources. Recent e-learning projects include “An Introduction to Online Markets,” a guide for microentrepreneurs in developing countries, “The Economics of Children,” featuring insights of Nobel Laureate and GMU Economics Professor James Buchanan, and “Enhancing Vietnam’s Competitiveness,” highlighting former Irish Prime Minister Garret Fitzgerald. DI is also now conducting trials of a new “hands-free” e-learning systems using India-based offshore tutors and guides who affordably provide real-time assistance to North American clients using high quality internet telephony links and web cobrowsing systems.

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Strengthening Partnerships And Organizational Capacity For Workforce Development

African Development Bank: Private Sector Development Officer Training
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Customs Modernization
Compass to Workforce Development
Eastern Europe: Commercial Law and Institutional Reform Program
Education Reform Activities
Egypt: Data Access and Transmission Activity
Improving Performance Management Systems
Romania: Municipal Government Reform
Skills Assessment of the US Department of Education Quality Workplace Group
Skills Development for the Working Poor
South-East Europe Regional Infrastructure Program
Technical Leadership-World Trade Organization Strategy
Technology-Based Learning for the US Workforce
Transforming Workforce Development Systems for US States
USAID Employee Evaluation Program
Workforce Development Policy Reform
Workforce Planning Evaluation Study for USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance
Workforce Planning for US Department of Health and Human Services

African Development Bank: Private Sector Development Officer Training Curriculum

With funding from USAID, GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. worked with the African Development Bank's Private Sector Development Unit (PSDU) in the development and implementation of training programs for executives (Private Sector Development Officers) in the fields of international business, finance, and organizational management. One of the primary objectives was to train the PSDU staff and other Bank staff with relevant responsibilities in the most current techniques for evaluating private investment proposals and for supporting the development of an internationally competitive private sector in Africa.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Customs Modernization

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. provided technical assistance aimed at modernizing the Customs Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The purpose of the project was to bring the Bosnian Customs Administration up-to-date with internationally accepted standards in customs nomenclature, customs valuation, and customs procedures. Approximately 15 seminars were conducted during the project covering all aspects of customs operations including valuation, classification, and methodologies for “training the trainers.” A key focus of this project was to assure long-term sustainability by developing indigenous training capabilities through the training of trainers.

Compass to Workforce Development

GWIT member Monica Aring and her Education Development Center (EDC) team prepared a study and toolkit of best practices for demand-driven workforce development as exemplified by public private partnerships in 20 countries in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. This was at the request of USAID’s Global Bureau. The project prepared a video and developed an analytic study that reviewed over 100 nominees for best practices. Aring and her team developed 9 principles which characterize effective workforce development systems. To expand on dissemination efforts, EDC also developed a web site and LISTSERV on international workforce development issues. The Compass is used by world donor organizations and researchers around the world. A copy of the Compass to Workforce Development Report (PDF) is available for download.

Eastern Europe: Commercial Law and Institutional Reform Program

Education Reform Activities

With support from USAID, GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass and her team at the National Governor’s Association (NGA) convened a seminar for officials from USAID and other donors to explore lessons from state education reform activities and their implications for international development efforts. The workshop focused around six issues: setting goals and priorities; education and the economy; education financing; outcomes and accountability; curriculum and instructional methodology; and education structures and management. She and other experts then took these lessons to the field by meeting with education leaders and other stakeholders in Indonesia, Thailand and Nepal.

Egypt: Data Access and Transmission Activity

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. collaborated with the Government of Egypt to accommodate USAID and the international community's concern for the collection and dissemination of sound economic and financial information through a focus on training, technical assistance, and automation. The purpose of the activity was to improve the quality, periodicity, timeliness, and availability of estimates of economic activity in Egypt, thus providing policy makers a better foundation for the formulation of policies and programs and reducing the risks incurred by both public and private investors. To date, National Accounts estimates are being compiled, and automated procedures are in place to transfer balance of payments data electronically. An inter-agency steering committee has been formed, by ministerial decree, to encourage data transparency, quality, and timeliness. Over 200 staff from the National Accounts Unit and related ministries have been trained. In addition, computer equipment, high-speed network connections, and Website access have been provided to ensure rapid electronic data transfer.

Improving Performance Management Systems

In response to the public’s demand for greater accountability and responsiveness from government, many states are working to strengthen their performance management systems. GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass led National Governor’s Association’s (NGA) technical assistance efforts in this area and created a website that provides easy access to all of the states cross-cutting performance indicators. For more information, go to http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,T_CEN_ESS^C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_4139,00.html.

Ganzglass helped numerous states implement outcome-based planning and accountability systems to improve the performance of their workforce development and related programs. For example, she advised Alabama’s Governor’s office and state legislature on how to implement a performance-based budgeting system. She helped Texas, Washington and other states develop performance standards that are being used to set a common direction for the various education, employment and training agencies comprising the states’ workforce development systems.

Romania: Municipal Government Reform

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. undertook an assessment of the overall operations of the Bucharest Municipal Government and provided recommendations for reform and restructuring. The assessment focused extensively on the government's relationship with the public enterprises it oversees, including those responsible for water supply, road repair and maintenance, and urban transportation. Booz Allen prepared an “action plan” for implementing the recommendations developed in the diagnostic phase. The action plan includes a new organizational chart with realigned responsibilities; a program to set standards and measure performance of individual offices and enterprises; an integrated approach to development of the organization’s information technology system; and a new program for multi-year planning, including infrastructure investment planning.

Skills Assessment of the US Department of Education Quality Workplace Group

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. conducted a skill assessment of the Department of Education Quality Workplace Group's 40 employees in order to assist the group in determining areas of strength and growth within its workforce. This skill assessment looked at 13 major skill categories needed to offer the types of services that QWG provides. These categories ranged from oral communication to budget management to negotiation and included computer skills and specific task skills. The project analyzed skill sets at three different levels: organizational, job category and individual employee and included a gap analysis. It also included skill matrices that indicate individuals with high proficiencies vs. low proficiencies thereby highlighting opportunities for on-the-job training and cross training and charts showing individuals with under-utilized skills that may be tapped into.

Skills Development for the Working Poor

Despite a strong US economy in the 1990’s, many working families were left in poverty. The reasons for this anomaly include people lacking the skills and experience to get and keep higher paying jobs, having physical and mental health barriers to employment and living in communities with inadequate transportation systems to enable people to access good-paying jobs. GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass and her team at the National Governor’s Association (NGA) worked closely with several states over a two-year period to help them design and implement solutions that involved multiple public agencies as well as local industry and community representatives. Assistance included on-site consultation by experts and peers and participation in intensive workshops on issues of concern to the states. As a result of the assistance states implemented strategies that worked on the supply- and demand-side side of the issue. For example, Indiana implemented regional skill partnerships to address skill shortages and promote job retention and career advancement for low-income workers. Wyoming considered tax policy changes and created a new state Department of Workforce Development to better align their workforce, education and economic development policies and programs. These activities were supported by the Kellogg Foundation and the US Department of Health and Human Services. A paper entitled Working Out of Poverty: Employment Retention and Career Advancement for Welfare Recipients discusses strategies to assist working poor individuals and families. For further information, go to http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_1854,00.html.

South-East Europe Regional Infrastructure Program (RIP)

The Balkans region has significant infrastructure requirements in the water and transport sectors that are directly linked to local technical capacity to effectively design, tender, and implement complex development projects. RIP facilitates project development by working with host country counterparts to alleviate project preparation or implementation gaps with specialized technical assistance. Under RIP, GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. prepared and is implementing a viable strategic plan for providing simultaneous technical assistance to six governments, while managing the inputs of subcontractors and local contractors. Eleven training workshops comprising 19 distinct programs were designed and delivered in Balkan countries (during the Year 1 operations). Over 50 public agencies involved in water and transport infrastructure delivery participated in capacity building workshops. Twenty technical assistance projects encompassing feasibility studies, infrastructure modernization strategies, and private sector participation strategies, were prepared to support water and transport projects. RIP demonstrates Booz Allen’s ability to leverage USAID activities with other donors, providing technical assistance supporting up to $1.5 billion in possible infrastructure project financing from the European Union, the European Investment Bank, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. RIP also demonstrates Booz Allen’s ability to work successfully with large subcontractor and consultant teams to organize resources and prepare high quality products.

Technical Leadership-World Trade Organization Strategy

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. provided USAID executives with expert dialogue on issues pertinent to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial in Seattle in November 1999. Booz Allen was also tasked with leading activities that: 1) enhanced the general awareness across USAID of how WTO negotiations take place; 2) assisted Bureau officials develop interim strategies for use in planning for Seattle; 3) assisted senior staff develop effective longer-term policies on trade-related issues; and 4) informed USAID personnel attending the Ministerial about WTO protocol. Booz Allen conducted a daylong briefing for USAID on issues from what the WTO is to what could be expected at the Ministerial. Following the briefing, Booz Allen prepared a strategy paper for USAID and briefing papers on topics central to USAID strategic objectives.

Technology-Based Learning for the US Workforce

When the National Governors Association and the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) convened the Commission on Technology and Adult Learning, GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass and her ASTD counterpart staffed the Commission and prepare its final report. The Commission, made up of key leaders in U.S. industry, education and government, offered policy recommendations on how to “define and encourage a technology-enabled learning environment that will result in an engaged citizenry and a skilled workforce for the digital economy.” The recommendations centered on assuring quality and access in a diversified and expanding marketplace, and the development of new measures and methods of assessing and certifying what individuals know and are able to do. For further information, go to http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,T_CEN_ESS^C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_2128,00.html.
Ganzglass and her NGA team also surveyed the states to determine the current policy environment for e-learning. Go to http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,T_CEN_ESS^C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_2125,00.html.

Transforming Workforce Development Systems for US States

GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass and her team at the National Governor’s Association (NGA) and other consultants helped states put in place flexible work-centered workforce development systems to support the states’ economic development efforts and help them address new challenges resulting from globalization. As a result of this assistance, states as diverse as Iowa and New Jersey have focused greater attention on training for incumbent workers, promoting formal and informal work-based learning and structuring career pathways for low skill workers that help people advance despite the shortening of career ladders within companies. The NGA team also conducted case studies of how five leading states are transforming their state workforce development systems. Supported by the Annie E. Casey and Ford Foundations. Go to
http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,T_CEN_ESS^C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_2352,00.html .

USAID Employee Evaluation Program

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. assisted USAID in revising its internal Employee Evaluation Program. Activities undertaken on behalf of USAID included assisting in redesigning the performance evaluation processes; designing, developing, and implementing a training program and a training-the-trainer program to instruct all USAID staff on the new evaluation approach; and developing a training strategy for USAID to use in instructing its national and international employees about the new program.

Workforce Development Policy Reform

GWIT Director Evelyn Ganzglass and her team at the National Governor’s Association (NGA) provided policy leadership and support for many of the U.S. states’ workforce policy innovations over the past twenty years. Their on-site assistance, conferences, policy analysis and numerous publications introduced new ideas and shared best practices among Governors and their policy advisors. The recently published Governor’s Guide to Creating a 21st Century Workforce lays out a vision of a broadly-conceived, demand-driven system that supports economic growth and can flexibly meet the needs of workers and employers in the highly competitive global economy.
http://www.nga.org/center/divisions/1,1188,T_CEN_ECON_TECH^C_ISSUE_BRIEF^D_4062,00.html.

Workforce Planning Evaluation Study for USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

On a project for USAID, GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. conducted a staffing study for and made recommendations on organization structure and staffing levels to meet the needs of the present and the future, and to provide OFDA with a methodology to conduct its own projection of staff needs. Booz Allen used its approach to developing high performance organizations as the basis for the methodology used in this study. First, OFDA's mission was analyzed to determine the drives of work, how they had changed recently, and the projection for the mission for the future. In parallel, Booz Allen conducted interviews with OFDA staff, key customers, and partners, and created a survey instrument for OFDA staff to record their time spent on different activities. The result of these analyses was a workforce plan documenting OFDA's mission and functions. The workforce plan also presented a list of specific positions needed to perform the work and an organizational structure that optimized reporting relationships.

Workforce Planning for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

GWIT partner organization Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. worked with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to assist in the development of workforce plans for the organization. Booz Allen organized visioning sessions to facilitate discussions with organizations to define the state of their organizations over the next 5-10 years. Booz Allen additionally conducted several analyses including a Conduct Supply analysis, a Conduct Demand analysis, a Conduct Gap analysis, and a Conduct Solution analysis.

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Addressing the Workforce Development Needs of Post-Conflict Countries

Helping Children Outgrow War: A Guidebook
Liberia: Addressing Post-Conflict Needs through Rural Development Programs
Namibia: Policy and Program for Workforce and Enterprise Development
Sierra Leone: Bo Vocational Training Center

Helping Children Outgrow War: A Guidebook

In 2002, prime GWIT partner organization Education Development Center, Inc. (EDC) published a guidebook Helping Children Outgrow War that addresses educational reconstruction in post conflict settings. The book offers a series of case studies from around the world of successful interventions in post-conflict situations, while working within the framework of children’s’ well being and learning. The book is concerned with creating conditions- not in terms of physical infrastructure- but the environment for constructive learning in the wake of social violence. The book is intended for use by trainers and policy makers, for extraction of relevant examples of the ways that teachers, facilitators, community leaders, NGO workers and families help children outgrow war and ultimately rebuild their societies.
To request a copy, please e-mail abic@dis.cdie.org.

Liberia: Addressing Post-Conflict Needs through Rural Development Programs

GWIT consortium partner Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) and its country affiliates are helping countries emerging from conflict with long-term sustainable reintegration of ex-combatants, refugees, internally displaced women and children. OICI helps address the psychological scars left by war and provides skill training to aid in the reintegration of these groups into the income-generating economy. For example, after having experienced sporadic civil war in the mid-nineties, Liberia OIC established a program focusing on rural development, agricultural production, trauma counseling and basic skills training for rebuilding rural communities. Satellite training centers were set up to serve as training and reintroduction points for internally displaced persons and refugees returning home following the cessation in fighting. The program was successful in reducing conflict, rehabilitating individuals and social infrastructure while reviving local economies. It also served as a model program for assisting individuals and communities. It has since been replicated in neighboring countries suffering from similar conflicts.

Namibia: Policy and Program for Workforce and Enterprise Development

With USAID Namibia, key GWIT member Monica Aring and her EDC/USAID team worked with the Minister of Education and his staff to design policy and programs aimed at rapidly skilling unemployed young men who had recently returned from armed conflict. The forum resulted in the allocation of new resources and the formation of six skill development centers throughout Namibia’s northern regions.

Sierra Leone: Bo Vocational Training Center

Over the last few years, GWIT consortium partner Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) and its country affiliate Sierra Leone OIC have assisted Sierra Leone in rebuilding its society in the midst of conflict. OICI organized a successful workshop on psychosocial counseling and training methods for government officials, international development agencies and local NGO’s. OICI produced a Trauma Counseling Manual for all workshop participants. OICI also helps the government of Sierra Leone run the Bo Vocational Training Center (BVTC), in order to combat the country’s difficult employment problems and lack of an adequately skilled labor force. The center offers short- term training cycles for pre-vocational skills, carpentry, auto mechanics, electrical repairs etc. The BVTC also has an income generating unit concentrating on production and sale of furniture, and a Small Enterprise Development Center for basic business management training and services.

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Addressing Workforce Impacts of HIV/AIDS

E-learning Initiatives for World Bank Africa
Ethiopia: Adolescent Reproductive Health and Skills Training Program
Nigeria: Development of HIV/AIDS Curriculum
South Africa: HIV/AIDS Programs
Zimbabwe: Capacity Building for HIV/AIDS Intervention Programs

E-learning Initiatives for World Bank Africa

Ethiopia: Adolescent Reproductive Health and Skills Training Program

In Ethiopia, GWIT consortium partner Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) worked with its country affiliate OIC Ethiopia to establish two successful Adolescent Reproductive Health and skill training centers/clubs for local youth that are designed to increase economic stability, a factor shown to increase safe sexual behavior in youth. The combination of HIV/AIDS education, vocational skills training and income generating services also is designed to raise family income as well as increase participant enrollment and retention rates. Because of the success of this approach, club activities will be expanded to include schools and vocational training institutes in the region.

Nigeria: Development of HIV/AIDS Curriculum

In Kano, GWIT consortium partner Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) and its country affiliate Nigeria OIC is pilot-testing an HIV/AIDS manual for use in schools and vocational training institutes. In addition, OICI has also developed a culturally appropriate HIV/AIDS curriculum for all OIC affiliates in Africa.

South Africa: HIV/Programs Programs

In KwaZulu Natal province, GWIT consortium partner Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) and its country affiliate, OIC South Africa implemented programs that provided short-term skills training and income generating opportunities for individuals with AIDS, and provided counseling and sensitivity training to families so that dying individuals were not isolated from their families due to the stigma associated with AIDS. This training is especially important because of widespread lack of information about caring for individuals in the later stages of the disease.

Zimbabwe: Capacity Building for HIV/AIDS Intervention Programs

In 2001, GWIT consortium partner Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) and its country affiliate Zimbabwe OICI completed a study of church-based organizations and their efforts to support the large orphan population, especially through income-generating projects for foster households. The study revealed that these organizations do not have the capacity to implement projects effectively, and that human resource development organizations such as OICI have an advantage in HIV/AIDS intervention programs. As a result, Zimbabwe OIC is working with UNICEF on a program for “Capacity Building for Orphan Care Support”
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Building Capacity of SME’s and Promoting Entrepreneurship

Clusters and the Disadvantaged
Egypt: IT Workforce Strategy
Poland: Assisting Workforce Development in an Emerging Economy
Sri Lanka: Diaspora Linking Connecting US and Sri Lankan Firms
Tanzania: Assisting Private Sector Development through Business Skills Training

Clusters and the Disadvantaged

Egypt: IT Workforce Strategy

Poland: Assisting Workforce Development in an Emerging Economy

In 1991, GWIT partner organization Opportunities Industrialization Centers International (OICI) and its country affiliate OIC Poland’s mission was to assist in the development of Poland’s nascent private sector and movement towards free enterprise through entrepreneurship and business skills training. OIC Poland offered short-term business and IT training courses for private and public sector employees, aspiring Polish entrepreneurs and unemployed youth. This was supported by USAID and US Department of Labor. With technical assistance from the University of Illinois, OIC Poland developed an introductory business training curriculum for local primary and high schools. Other innovative programs include the Polish-American Technical School for Adults, the Innovation and Technical Transformation Center, and the College of Economy and Innovation in Lublin.

Sri Lanka: Diaspora Linking Connecting US and Sri Lankan Firms

GWIT partner organization Development Informatics (DI) is engaged in a matchmaking project to connect Sri Lanka’s North American diaspora with promising small/new ICT ventures in their home country. To date, the project has identified 23 US-based firms and individuals who will meet with a visiting delegation of Sri Lankan companies to discuss investments of time or resources to help the new ventures open global markets, upgrade skills, and improve workflow or technologies. The project builds upon a matchmaking roadshow coordinated in 2001 by DI principals that successfully connected US and Sri Lankan investors and ICT companies. Supported by USAID.

Tanzania: Assisting Private Sector Development through Business Skills Training

GWIT partner organization Opportunities Industrialization Centers International’s (OICI) country affiliate OIC Tanzania was a key participant in the Government of Tanzania’s National Income Generation Program, operated with UNDP funding support. OIC Tanzania provided short-term training courses for entrepreneurs, small business operators and unemployed youth and adults. OIC Tanzania also provided similar training in several regional enterprise development programs and with support from CARE provided technical and business skills training for household-based businesses.

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GWIT Capabilities

Examples of Team Experience by Focus Area

Building Workforce Capacity for Increased Competitiveness, Economic Growth and Trade

Promoting Youth Development and Employment

Making Education More Relevant to Economic Needs

Strengthening Partnerships And Organizational Capacity For Workforce Development

Addressing the Workforce Development Needs of Post-Conflict Countries

Addressing Workforce Impacts of HIV/AIDS

Building Capacity of SME’s and Promoting Entrepreneurship

Building Workforce Capacity for Increased Competitiveness, Economic Growth and Trade

A Governors’ Guide to Cluster-Based Economic Development (2002)

Azerbaijan: Cluster Study for Food Processing

Brazil: Market Analysis for Furniture, Apparel, and Textile Exports

Cluster Analyses for Montana and Louisiana

Clusters and the Disadvantaged

Creating Smart Systems: A Guide to Cluster Strategies in Less Favoured Regions (2002)

Croatia: Business and Technology Park Strategy and Incentive Policies

Developing Skills Standards for the US Bioscience and Financial Services Industries

Djibouti and COMESA: Investor Roadmap Studies

Eastern Caribbean: Telecoms Policy Review for the World Bank’s Quality Assurance Group

Eastern Europe: Commercial Law and Institutional Reform Program

Egypt: Agricultural Exports and Rural Incomes (AERI) Activity Design

Exports, Competitiveness and Synergy in Appalachian Industry Clusters

Jamaica: Investor Roadmap Studies

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan: Development and Strengthening of Trade and Investment

Macedonia Competitiveness Activity (MCA)

Mali: Textile-Based Artisans Competitiveness

Mississippi: Analysis of the Automobile, Communications and Information Technology (CIT) and Forest Product Industry Clusters

Morocco: Free Trade and Workforce Development

Serbia: Competitiveness and Economic Efficiency Project

South Africa: Textile and Clothing Industry Competitiveness

South Carolina: Job-related Education and Training Initiative

Sri Lanka: ICT Cluster Strategy Development/Policy Reform Roadmap

The Selden Project for Global Trade Law Assessment and Assistance

West Africa: Training of Power Pool

Yugoslavia/Serbia: Program to Strengthen the Environment for Private Sector Growth

Promoting Youth Development and Employment

Cleveland Youth Opportunity Project

Ghana: Developing Vocational Technical Entrepreneurs

Hermanos Jovenes/Young Brothers, C.I.T.Y. Project

Tanzania: Timebound Program on Eliminating Child Labor

Youth Development Strategies for At-Risk Youth

Youth Employment Summit (YES)

Making Education More Relevant to Economic Needs

Accelerating Innovation: Benchmark Practices at Rural Community Colleges

Breakthrough Study of High Performing Organizations: Increasing Competitiveness through Improved Learning Strategies

Cleveland: Youth Opportunities Unlimited Project

Community College/Cluster Connections

Compass to Workforce Development

Conducting Rapid Appraisals

Distributive Training Technology Project for Distance Learning

Egypt IT Workforce Strategy

E-learning Initiatives for World Bank Africa

FAMS Program

India: Building NGO Capacity

Indonesia: Twinning Arrangement to Expand IPTEKnet, the Science & Technology Network

Harlem: Community Technology Centers (CTC)

Information Technology Career Cluster Initiative

International IT Program Improvement

International Learning and Innovation Networks

International Comparisons of Performance Assessment Systems for Technical Colleges

Kyrgyzstan: Workforce and Enterprise Development Systems Reform

Learning Through Simulated Information Technology Enterprises

Mali: Study on the Extension and Promotion of Internet Services

Mississippi: Strategic Plan on Workforce Education and Training

National School-to-Work Consortium

New Hampshire: Industry and Educator Coalition

Operation Breakthrough-A Partnership with Mobil Oil Corporation and Beaumont TX Public School System

Pennsylvania: Connecting Education and Training Providers to Industry Clusters

Peru: Improving the Performance of Labor Market Intermediaries

Sri Lanka: Centers of Excellence

The Moving Ahead Program (MAP)

Offshore Development of E-Learning Resources

Strengthening Partnerships And Organizational Capacity For Workforce Development

African Development Bank: Private Sector Development Officer Training Curriculum

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Customs Modernization

Compass to Workforce Development

Eastern Europe: Commercial Law and Institutional Reform Program

Education Reform Activities

Egypt: Data Access and Transmission Activity

Building Workforce Capacity for Increased Competitiveness,
Economic Growth and Trade

Strengthening Partnerships And Organizational Capacity For
Workforce Development

Addressing the Workforce Development Needs of Post-Conflict
Countries

Building Workforce Capacity for Increased Competitiveness,
Economic Growth and Trade