In Cairo, ESCWA and the Arab Labour Organization (ALO) co-organized a technical workshop to discuss the revision of the Arab Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO 2026) and explore innovative approaches to strengthening its relevance to labour market needs.
During the workshop, held on 27 and 28 October, ESCWA showcased its Skills Monitor (ESM) and demonstrated how big data and advanced analytics can complement expert-driven classification methodologies by providing empirical evidence on occupational demand, employer requirements and evolving skills profiles.
The demonstration illustrated five potential applications:
- Enriching occupational classifications with alternative job titles used by employers;
- Validating occupational descriptions against actual job requirements;
- Assessing observed occupational demand through online job advertisements;
- Identifying potentially emerging occupational titles; and
- Comparing skills profiles to identify overlaps between occupations and inform classification reviews.
Discussions also explored opportunities for further collaboration, including the automation of classification review processes and the integration of analytical tools into the ALO digital platform.
The joint workshop marks an important step in strengthening ESCWA-ALO collaboration and establishes a promising foundation for future technical cooperation with Arab member States on occupational classification modernization and evidence-based labour market and skills policies.
