Industrialisation and Workforce Development in Africa Policy Dynamics, Firms, and Industrial Ecosystems

This book explores the dynamics and challenges of building an industrial workforce and industrialisation in Africa. It highlights the potential for economic growth within the manufacturing sector and how industrialisation can provide employment, build industrial workforce and facilitate labour market opportunities. Government policies and the role of local and regional governments are analysed to examine why certain industrial parks perform better than others. With particular details drawn from Ethiopia’s apparel and textile industry, the historical relationship between capitalist development and the labour force is explored to show tensions between maximising profits and ensuring labour rights and better wages. Building an industrial workforce necessitates effective government policies, firm strategies, industrial ecosystems, and productive dialogue and collective learning between government and firms.

1. Introduction.- 2. Theoretical perspectives on late industrialisation and industrial workforce.- 3. Analytical perspective and research approach.- 4. FDI patterns, employment and workforce development.- 5. Recruitment, community, and retention.- 6. Government policies, firms and industrial ecosystems.- 7. A synthesis of industrial capitalism and workforce development.- 8. Workforce development and late industrialisation.

Dr Nigisty Gebrechristos is a Research Associate at the Centre of African Studies, SOAS University of London, and the University of Johannesburg.