Towards System-Level Reform through National Skills Strategies

The World Bank has been working closely with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (MHRSD) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to develop a system-level skills strategy. The MHRSD first started by establishing a Skills and Training Deputyship andallocated resources to start leading the national skilling agenda through coordinated efforts with all relevant role-players. The strategy responds to the KSA's goal to diversify its economy and empower its people with the necessary skills to become global citizens. It further responds to the need to coordinate existing skills development efforts. The system approach toskills strategies includes a strong focus on governance, creating sectoral representative bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) to facilitate a demand-led skills approach to skills development, establishing efficient labor market information and quality assurance systems, and cultivating a responsive education and training system. Each of these focus areas makesup the core of a systems-based approach to skills development. The key principles of a system-level skills development framework are summarized here and expanded on later in the text