Making Skills Work for Women: Improving Access to Formal Wage Employment

World Bank, Maria Laura Sanchez Puerta and Abhilasha Sahay

No 213253, The Social Policy and Labor Discussion Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: Skills development is a critical lever for enabling women to access and thrive in formal wage employment. Investments in education and lifelong learning- particularly in skills demanded by employers- can enhance employability, improve school-to-work transitions, and address gender gaps in labor markets. Yet evidence from skills programs shows mixed results: conventional training has limited impacts when misaligned with labor market demand, while bundled interventions, industry-linked programs, and gender-responsive delivery mechanisms show more promise. This note documents evidence and distills recommendations around different characteristics of skills programs, including program content (technical, digital, and soft skills), combinations of skills training, and apprenticeships, industry linkages and job placement, instructor training, delivery mechanisms, and program design features (location, hours, additional services provided such as childcare, transport, etc.). It also considers cost-effectiveness and implementation lessons, with a focus on skills that expand women’s access to, retention in, and progression within formal wage jobs, in fast-developing countries.

Date: 2026-07-31
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