Harnessing growth sectors for poverty reduction: what works to reduce poverty through sustainable employment with opportunities for progression

传统上，就业一直被视为摆脱贫困的关键途径。有工作的人比无薪工作的人更不可能陷入贫困，但在工资低的地方就业的好处是值得怀疑的，特别是如果他们构成了“无薪，低薪循环”的一部分。对于减贫而言，仅仅关注就业是不够的。随着劳动力市场的变化导致工作实践的变化（例如工作时间的碎片化和零小时接触等）以及低收入和高薪工作之间更广泛的两极分化，阻碍了就业作为摆脱贫困途径的进展，在职贫困已成为一个日益重要的问题。如果要实现更可持续地摆脱贫困，就需要更多的“好”工作，让穷人能够获得和取得进展。在2008/ 09年的经济危机之后，人们重新对试图刺激经济增长的产业政策产生了兴趣。政府已经确定了特定的部门（所谓的“增长部门”或“战略部门”）作为政策关注的焦点。拟议的研究旨在填补关于利用增长部门减少贫困的“有效措施”的证据空白——认识到增长部门：(1)为失业人员创造就业机会；(2)是政策支持增长的重点机遇；(3)更有可能经历技能不足，因此鼓励与技能和培训提供者的接触；(4)可能会寻求通过制定更明确的晋升机会来减少员工流失率。因此，该研究解决了威尔士政府的两个战略重点：(1)解决贫困问题；(2)促进就业和增长。拟议的研究重点包括四个要素，它们共同综合和评估关于如何利用增长部门来减少贫困的证据。要素1提供增长部门的背景和定量分析。它确定了增长部门，其中的就业数量和概况及其增长轨迹。它使用现有的大型调查数据集来研究人们如何在增长部门之间和内部流动，以及这种流动是否以及如何帮助人们摆脱贫困。它还确定了哪些部门为逐步摆脱贫困提供了最佳机会。第二部分的重点是对现有的国家和国际证据进行审查，这些证据是关于帮助贫困人口进入增长部门的“有效方法”以及如何促进他们的就业进展。报告还研究了如何提高增长部门的就业质量的证据。将确定与威尔士上下文相关的“良好实践”示例。要素三涉及对利用增长部门促进减贫的实际举措的六个深入案例研究。将审查由国家政府推动的“自上而下”方法和由地方当局和特定部门的雇主团体领导的“自下而上”方法的组合。第四部分汇集并检验了研究成果，强调了在利用增长部门减少贫困方面有哪些政策杠杆，以及如何最好地利用这些政策杠杆。利益相关者将被邀请参加在威尔士不同地区举行的讲习班上的知识产生和转移过程，以最大限度地将“什么有效”的发现适用于威尔士的情况。研究项目的不同要素，包括二手数据分析、证据审查和案例研究，将共同解决以下方面的差距：-关于工作流动和贫困的现有知识；-支持增长部门的进入、发展和工作质量的干预措施；公共政策如何通过促进增长型部门的可持续就业来解决贫困问题。

Traditionally employment has been seen as a key route out of poverty. People in employment are less likely to be in poverty than those without paid work but the benefits of entry into employment where pay is low are questionable, especially if they form part of a 'no pay, low pay cycle'. For poverty reduction a focus solely on moving into work is insufficient.In-work poverty has become an increasingly important issue as labour market changes have led to changing working practices (e.g. fragmentation of working hours and zero hours contacts, etc) and a broader polarisation between lower paid and higher paid jobs which impedes progression in employment as a route out of poverty. More 'good' jobs are needed that poor people can access and progress in if more sustainable exits from poverty are to be achieved.Following the economic crisis of 2008/9 there has been a renewed interest in industrial policy in attempts to stimulate economic growth. Governments have identified specific sectors (so called 'growth sectors' or 'strategic sectors') as a focus of policy attention. The proposed research seeks to fill a gap in evidence about 'what works' in harnessing growth sectors for poverty reduction - in recognition that growth sectors: (1) generate opportunities for those out of work to move into; (2) are the focus of policy to support the growth of opportunity; (3) are more likely to experience skills deficiencies, so encouraging engagement with skills and training providers; and (4) may be seeking to reduce staff turnover through developing more clearly defined progression opportunities. Hence the research addresses two of the Welsh Government's strategic priorities: (i) tackling poverty and (ii) promoting jobs and growth.The proposed research focus consists of four elements which together synthesise and assess evidence on how growth sectors may be used for poverty reduction.Element I provides contextual and quantitative analyses of growth sectors. It identifies growth sectors, the number and profile of jobs therein and their growth trajectories. It uses existing large survey data sets to examine how people move between and within growth sectors, and whether and how such moves help people to move out of poverty. It also identifies which sectors offer the best opportunities for progression out of poverty.Element II focuses on reviews of the existing national and international evidence on 'what works' in helping poor people gain entry to growth sectors and how their employment progression can be facilitated. It also examines evidence on how job quality in growth sectors can be enhanced. 'Good practice' examples of relevance to the Welsh context will be identified.Element III involves six in-depth case studies of practical initiatives to harness growth sectors for poverty reduction. A mix of 'top-down' approaches driven by national governments and 'bottom-up' approaches led by local authorities and groups of employers in particular sectors will be examined.Element IV brings together and tests the findings of the research, emphasising what policy levers are available for harnessing growth sectors for poverty reduction, and how they might be best used. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in this process of knowledge generation and transfer at workshops held in different parts of Wales in an attempt to maximise the applicability of the 'what works' findings to the Welsh context.Together the different elements of the research project, involving secondary data analysis, evidence reviews and case studies, will address gaps in:- existing knowledge on job mobility and poverty;- interventions to support entry to, progression, and job quality in growth sectors; and- how public policy can address poverty by facilitating sustainable employment in growth sectors.