Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - New Caledonia

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Articles 1–5 of the Convention. Comprehensive and co-ordinated policies and programmes of vocational guidance and vocational training. Lifelong training. The Committee notes the transmission by the Government of the 2019 and 2020 reports of the Training Insurance Fund (FIAF), as well as the impact study on the FIAF programming action (2017–19) updated in March 2021. In particular, it notes with interest the adoption by the Government of several texts promoting the application of the Convention that fall under the Employment and Vocational Integration Strategy developed for the period 2016–20, including territorial Act No. 2018-20 of 2 October 2018 on the governance of the employment, integration, training and vocational guidance sector and territorial Act No. 2018-21 of 2 October 2018 on the dual vocational training system, which aims to simplify the administrative procedures for employers in order to promote the recruitment of an employee undertaking dual work-study vocational training. In this context, the Government reports the establishment of six accredited dual training centres, including the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and the Association for Professional Integration and Development (GIEP), which provide joint and streamlined management of training and integration actions. In this regard, the Committee notes the comments of the Council for Social Dialogue (CDS), which indicate that joint bodies such as the New Caledonian Skills Development Institute, the Territorial Adult Vocational Training Establishment, and the Maritime Trade School were dissolved and pooled within the GIEP, at the initiative of the Government and in order to establish efficient governance and allow for improved presence of provincial representations. However, it must be noted that, despite the major reform, this shortcoming of provincial representation has not been completely remedied. The CDS adds that the composition of the previous governance bodies respected the principle of parity, however, now there is only one organization from each group on the GIEP Governing Board. With regard to vocational training, the Government reports on the measures taken within the framework of FIAF, in particular the financing of training plans for the employees of enterprises, and the provision of support and planning, which are accompanied by complementary actions such as the fight against illiteracy. Within the framework of continuous training, the Government reports the training of 1,672 employees in various sectors of activity within 558 companies. It also indicates that the training offers have made it possible to reach enterprises in sectors that usually engage in lower levels of training, such as the transport and storage sector. The Committee notes, however, that these training activities are marked by the under-representation of enterprises with fewer than 10 employees, which are concentrated in the capital city, with only 7 per cent of activities decentralized in the North Province and none in the Loyalty Islands Province. Regarding the achievement of strategic objectives in the area of continuing education, the Government indicates that, within the framework of the Employment and Vocational Integration Strategy 2016–2020 (SEIP-NC), each local authority, particularly at the provincial level, is implementing a continuing education programme to meet the specific needs of the local population. The Government adds, however, that a decrease in staffing levels due to budgetary restrictions has led to the departure of nearly one third of the training staff since 2017. With regard to the training of the population, the Government indicates that the overall population in training is made up predominantly of women who have no qualifications and have an education level lower than the vocational skills certificate (CAP) or the diploma of occupational studies (BEP). With respect to trainees, the Government reports success rates (61 per cent in the North Province and 71 per cent in New Caledonia), attrition or dropout rates (29 per cent in the Loyalty Islands Province and 3.7 per cent in the North Province) and integration rates (33 per cent in New Caledonia, 16.1 per cent in the North Province and 2 per cent in the Loyalty Islands Province). The Committee notes that the attrition rate of men (1.1 per cent) is much lower than that of women (5.1 per cent). It also notes that the integration rate of men is twice as high as that of women (21 per cent versus 10 per cent) and that these disparities are even more pronounced among young people under the age of 25 years. In this regard, the Government reports the strategic objectives of the new Employment and Vocational Integration Strategy (2016–2020) in terms of continuing vocational training and integration, which aim to improve the situation of the target populations, through the mobilization of local networks and the pooling of information through a powerful information system called RELIEF, which enables the individualized monitoring of each person seeking to integrate into the labour market to better guide them. The Government also reports on measures taken to increase access to information for the most geographically remote populations, notably through events such as “digital weeks” or the creation of a “Digital Space” certification, which aims to promote the development of digital public spaces, and to ensure their connectedness, their sustainability and their adaptation to the different contexts of New Caledonia. In terms of professional certification, the Committee notes the development of professional qualification certificates (CQP), which are a key instrument for increasing the number of professional diplomas that meet the needs of enterprises, and the professional certifications registered in the New Caledonian professional certification directory (RCPNC). In addition, the Government is promoting the certificate of essential skills (CCE), with a view to enhancing the training or professional integration of people with few opportunities for employment. The Committee notes that the pass rate for certificates of essential skills was 85 per cent in 2020, which attests to its effectiveness in linking education policies with employment and continued professional training, through the Employment and Vocational Integration Strategy. With regard to the coherence of public policies on education, the Government reports that the Inter-Community Technical Committee on Education (CITE) aims to promote exchange between the various partners involved in education in order to ensure consultation on and coherence of public policies on education. The Government adds the New Caledonia Education Advisory Council (CCE-NC), was reformed in January 2015 and includes among its members the directorate of continued vocational training. In this respect, the Committee notes that section 6 of Decision No. 108 of 15 January 2016 on the establishment and organization of the New Caledonian Education Advisory Council (CCE-NC) specifies that sectoral commissions composed of representatives of the CCE-NC and the New Caledonian Vocational Training Advisory Committee shall be convened to examine changes in the training roadmap and must be consulted on this subject. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide detailed and updated information on whether the strategic objectives for continuing education have been achieved, and to what extent the achievement of these objectives has made it possible, in collaboration with the social partners, to strengthen the linkages and coherence between policies in the education system and in the field of employment and continuing vocational training, in particular in the context of the Employment and Vocational Integration Strategy 2016–2020. In addition, it requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to reduce the impact of the decline in staff numbers on the education system. The Committee also requests the Government to provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to reduce the attrition rate of women and to increase their integration into the workforce, including through measures adopted to promote the sharing of family responsibilities between men and women and to combat gender stereotypes that impede women’s access to vocational training.