World Bank urges shift from temporary jobs to skills-focused public works

The World Bank is calling on governments to revamp public works programmes, arguing that short-term jobs no longer address unemployment and skills gaps. In its new report, Innovations in Public Works, the lender says traditional schemes offering temporary, low-skilled infrastructure work fail to provide lasting economic benefits or pathways into stable employment.

The report recommends shifting towards programmes that build skills for a labour market reshaped by digital technology and climate challenges. It highlights three emerging areas: care services (childcare, elder care), digital work (mapping, data collection), and green jobs (land restoration, climate resilience).

These approaches are already being tested. In Burkina Faso and Rwanda, childcare-linked public works have enabled more women to participate in paid work while gaining caregiving skills. In South Africa, similar schemes support vulnerable groups including the elderly and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Digital public works are gaining traction in Kenya, where young people use smartphones to map buildings for urban planning, and in Sierra Leone, where youths digitise flood-risk information for disaster response. These remote-accessible tasks are particularly accessible to women and young people.

Green public works combine job creation with environmental protection. Examples include coastal protection in Fiji and flood-control efforts in Malawi, helping communities adapt to climate change while providing steady income and building skills in agriculture and environmental management.

The report argues that properly designed programmes can support women, youth, and people in fragile areas while contributing to broader goals like climate resilience and digital transformation. Countries investing in forward-looking public works could unlock greater value from public spending while preparing workers for future jobs.

For Nigeria, where unemployment remains critical, does this approach offer practical solutions for states struggling with limited budgets, or do these models require funding levels beyond what most sub-national governments can currently afford?

SOURCE: https://guardian.ng/appointments/world-bank-calls-for-revamp-of-employment-schemes/