About a decade ago, Thomas Friedman pointed toward a ‘flattening world’ with increased global connectivity, making places irrelevant. But this argument is now turning around. Regional inequalities are on the rise in both developed and developing economies, and workers in left-behind places are reasserting local and national identities. Major global transformations – urbanisation, climate change, and technological change – carry remarkably different consequences across different communities and labor markets.
Yet governments’ approach to job creation is still ‘business as usual’. Top-down sector-based growth strategies are implemented by national governments with little attention to the specific needs, assets and problems of individual places. As a result, job creation policies rarely translate effectively on the ground. While more and more policymakers understand that the place-blind approach to job creation is broken, a new model is yet to take its place.
Forging a place-based approach to job creation begins with learning from local experiences, sharing ideas across a transnational network of local leaders, and workshopping specific labor market challenges in real places.
The 2018 JustJobs Network annual event, in partnership with the Centre for Policy Research and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, is dedicated to co-creating this model with local leaders from around the world who are seeking to build inclusive, job-rich economies as they confront new realities that are at once local and global.
Speakers
- Dr KP Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, GOI
- Dr Ekkerhard Ernst, Chief, Macroeconomic Policy, International Labour Organisation
- Mr Fuad Cassim, Economist, Banking Association South Africa, Former Senior Advisor, Ministry of Finance, South Africa
- Mr Manish Sabharwal, Chairman and Co-founder, TeamLease
- Mr Patrick Ruether, Country Representative, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung India
- Dr Ruth Manorama, Social Activist and Recipient of the Right Livelihood Award
- Ms Sabina Dewan, President and Executive Director, JustJobs Network
- Ms Yamini Aiyar, President and Chief Executive, Centre for Policy Research
Documentary Screening
Small City Dreaming, a short documentary about the working lives of young people in small cities in India and Indonesia. A JJN-CPR film, supported by TTI & IDRC. Directed by Amit Mahanti.
The event will be followed by a reception and dinner.
To RSVP, please write to irasengupta@justjobsnetwork.org (Limited seating, first come first serve basis)
1st November – (Invite only)
Concurrent Workshops
- Creating jobs for migrants amidst rapid urbanization
- Developing a place-based approach to job creation
- Adapting labour market to a digital world
- Unleashing the economic potential of women
Chief Guest
Shri Heeralal Samariya – Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India (TBC)
Agenda for the event can be accessed here.
Tweet to @JJNglobal – Just Jobs Network’s twitter handle. Tweet to @FESnewsbrief – Friedrich Ebert Stiftung India’s twitter handle.
