Moldova: Bridging skills supply and demand

A new law in Moldova will help to align and improve labour market information on skills demand, supply and emerging trends in specific sectors. The law recognises the important role of Sector Committees (SC) - led by employers, business associations, trade unions and other social partners – through a more enhanced role in Moldovan vocational training and education landscape. Anticipating and addressing skills mismatch, enhancing social dialogue and supporting qualification-system reform are among the tasks of SCs. The new law also secures operational funding for the SCs to develop.

The European Union has been supporting this through the framework of Budget Support (€25 million, ending 2017). The ETF assisted with labour market and skills’ trend analysis, preparing sectoral reports and the overall strengthening the capacity of SC members.

The SCs take the lead in 2018, preparing reports for the agriculture and food, IT and communication, transport and road infrastructure and trade sectors. The labour market information is welcomed by vocational education providers, using it to develop Centres of Excellence – sector-specific vocational courses. The National Employment Service are another key partner and beneficiary of the SCs’ work.

National Qualifications Framework

In 2017, Moldova adopted a new law to establish the National Qualifications Framework. With the ongoing support of the ETF, qualifications will placed in a new National Register, expected to be operational by mid-2018. The new law also foresees the design of a comprehensive methodology for designing and approval of new qualifications to be included in the register.

Next steps

• Taking advantage of the new laws will be discussed when Sectorial Committee members join ETF experts, policymakers, vocational education providers, labour market experts, public employment representatives, international organisations, and other social partners, in Chisinau on 6 February.

The meeting is also an opportunity to present an overview of ETF activities in Moldova, including the labour market observatory, tracer studies, teachers’ survey, work-based learning and national qualifications.

Further links

Law on the Sector Committees in Moldova: http://lex.justice.md/viewdoc.php?action=view&view=doc&id=373 349&lang=1

Skills anticipation and matching guides produced by the ETF together with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop) - available here.