9.2 Increasing Engagement of the Domestic Workforce

need to be prioritized in terms of support required to build the capacity related to their growth.

■ Addressing the self-identified challenges to growth, the skills gaps, employee motivations and expectations are needed before the private sector can realize its full potential as an employer in Libya. In addition, utilizing the country’s natural resources to boost manufacturing and to reduce reliance on imports may support growth within agriculture specifically.

9.2 Increasing Engagement of the

Domestic Workforce

■ There is a need to improve image of the private sector, in particular the prioritized sectors. There is a mismatch between the sector preferences of Libyans and the sectors that can generate decent job opportunities.

This can be achieved through job fairs, industry showcasing and offering work experience to students at the secondary and tertiary level of education.

■ Further developing and strengthening apprenticeships and on-the-job training would benefit young Libyans entering the workforce. Many of the skills with high skills gaps are skills that employees learn on the job. It can turn into a catch 22: you need workplace behavior skills to get a job, but you cannot obtain these skills without having a job. One way to overcome this is to further develop, strengthen and support apprenticeships, on-the-jobtraining and paid internships as a way for the unemployed to gain some experience at limited risk and cost to the companies involved. At the same time this can also help to improve the image of the private sector by making the work conditions more transparent to job seekers.

■ Engagement and coordination between local training institutions to develop soft skills training programs for jobseekers to help them build skills that are in demand and valued by potential employers in Libya is important.

There are several local institutions that could be engaged