Building local value through skills development at the Learning and Knowledge Development Facility (LKDF) Forum 2025.
LKDF Forum 2025: Boosting Local Skills for Sustainable Global Supply ChainsGOTHENBURG, Sweden, July 2, 2025 — The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), backed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), hosted the Learning and Knowledge Development Facility (LKDF) Forum 2025 at the World of Volvo in Gothenburg and online. Themed “Skills Development and Local Value Addition: Ensuring Sustainable Growth in Global Supply Chains,” the event emphasized the critical role of localized skills in sectors like manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and industrial processing for fostering resilient economies and enabling multinational corporations and developing nations to prosper.UNIDO’s Director General Gerd Müller opened the Forum, urging increased investment in skills to build competitive, resilient supply chains with greater local value, market access, and prosperity. Sida’s Maria Tegborg reinforced the importance of technical and vocational education (TVET) in closing skills gaps and enhancing economic outcomes responsibly.The Forum highlighted systemic workforce development, supported by strong policies and transparent supply chains, as vital for sustainable growth. Local priorities were a key focus, with Enabel’s Charlotte Vanstallen stressing that initiatives must align with community ambitions to ensure scalability and impact. Discussions also emphasized soft skills, sustainability literacy, ESG compliance, and professionalizing the informal economy through social procurement to promote fair wages and ethical sourcing.Cross-sectoral partnerships, such as UNIDO’s Public-Private Development Partnerships (PPDP), were showcased as effective models for aligning vocational training with industry needs, integrating technical and sustainability skills. The event drew 37 in-person and 231 online participants from diverse sectors, including Sida, the European Commission, the African Union, Volvo Group, Siemens Healthineers, and others.Day one concluded with a call to align industrial policies with education reforms, strengthen global cooperation, and prioritize local communities. On day two, a co-creation workshop with UNIDO and Volvo Group sparked 13 new PPDP project ideas, followed by a visit to the Volvo Trucks Experience Facility, where participants explored innovations and tested vehicles.The Forum underscored that sustainable industrialization hinges on inclusive, partnership-driven approaches to skills development and local value creation.
