Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1977)

Implementation of policies and programmes of vocational guidance and training. The Committee notes the detailed information provided by the Government in the report received in February 2009. The Government provides information on the activities of the National Technological Institute (INATEC), which formed part of the strategy for the country’s development and which aims to promote economic and productive growth, with the emphasis on training and enhancing the skills of the labour force for the purposes of employment and self‑employment in general. INATEC’s priority is to provide technical training for persons affected by unemployment, underemployment and for those living in poverty or extreme poverty due to a lack of qualifications. The Committee notes that, in 2008, INATEC envisaged linking training activities with Government policies aimed at reviving the production of small and medium producers in order to generate employment and self-employment with a view to boosting the national economy and reducing poverty. The Committee notes that, in 2007, INATEC assisted 91,259 users. Of this total, 19.2 per cent were participants in technical education and the rest were participants in training. Over the last eight years, INATEC has trained an annual average of 83,994 users. The Committee notes that INATEC has 34 state centres spread across the national territory, which assisted 93.22 per cent of the total users in 2007. According to the most recent studies carried out by the Labour Observatory, the strong labour demand means that there is a need for further training in the following sectors: agriculture; manufacturing industries; hotels and restaurants; education; health services; commerce; property activities; and transport and storage. INATEC would need greater resources to improve the training offered and ensure quality coverage of the increasing demand for its services. The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on the manner in which it coordinates the training activities of INATEC with those of the private and subsidized vocational training centres in various departments of the country. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the manner in which it has ensured that INATEC has sufficient resources to meet the ongoing vocational training needs of those persons who find it most difficult to enter the labour market, such as women, young persons, persons with disabilities and those working in the informal economy. The Committee would like to be able to examine disaggregated data on the results achieved in terms of the integration of persons who have participated in INATEC training activities.