Since first recognized in the early1970s, the informal sector of Sub?Saharan Africa has becomea growing source of employment for large numbers of youths,but also older workers pursuing entrepreneurial goals andothers adjusting to structural changes in the region'semployment. Initially viewed as a safety net for thoseunable to find employment in the modern sector, the image ofthe informal sector has begun to change with time and theeducation of those entering it. More workers have begun toview it, not as a temporary stop while searching foremployment in the formal wage economy, but as a preferreddestination offering opportunities to those wanting tobecome entrepreneurs. The chapter examines recent researchcovering measurement of employment in the informal sector,impediments to investing in skills within the sector, andpolicies and programs to expand this investment. It extendsearlier work on this topic done under auspices of the WorldBank. The purpose is to examine what is currently knownabout these issues, identify gaps in knowledge, and offer astrategy for expanding skills development in the informalsector. Recent research, for example, like that mentionedabove in Ghana showing the changing character of employmentin the informal sector and the prospect of growing returnsto skills casts a new light on employment in this sector andmerits further inquiry into the robustness of these findingsin other countries to deepen our understanding of how skillsinfluence the welfare of those who create their ownemployment in the informal sector and how the investment inskills can be expanded.
PDF
download
878987797
028-85220240
