Is the Local framework suitable to foster employment?

The local framework is key when it comes to fostering jobs and skill in the local economy; however, it has some limits. Policy-makers must bear in mind both assets and limits if they want to carry out appropriate policies.

Advantages

1. The local public services have a direct link with the needs of people, meaning they can develop tailored solutions to tackle these needs.

2. The local public services are able to generate fruitful connections between key agents (universities, companies, employment services ...), creating an ecosystem.

3. The local level mostly provides the most suitable framework for addressing inclusion processes.

4. The local level is able to create favourable conditions for the creation of companies.

5. The local level can act as a retaining wall in the face of global dynamics

6. The local framework will allow for data collection which will subsequently enable evidence-based interventions

Limits

7. Are local employment markets adjusted to local boundaries or are these boundaries broader? At which level are they situated; Regional? National? Global?

8. Do local administrations have sufficient resources (technical, economic…) to face and understand the labour market; this with the aim of interpreting and developing effective and active labour market policies (ALMPs)?

9. Governance and atomization: the ALMPs derived from the local level tend to not consider and take advantage of the expertise and tailored knowledge from the regional level and other associated potentials

10. Strong importance of trends – In the field of ALMPs, like in any other field, there are trends and “fashionable activities” that usually must be tailored to the local situation or, just, discarded due to the fact they are not relevant.

11. Lack of decision making based on evidence, data and the like. Firstly, the lack of rigorous evaluation capacity. Secondly, the inability to look into the impact of the ALMP at the local level in depth (Usually this can be attributed to any territorial unit, not only the local one)

Do you agree? Could you add any other one?

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