公共工程创新概述简报：在不断变化的世界中重新思考就业和技能的公共工程

Innovations inPublic Works HIGHLIGHT Public works programs (PWPs) have longbeen a common choice to protect peoplein need by providing temporary jobs andincome. They promise more than a pay-check: They offer dignity, visible communityinvestments, and the prospect of long-termprogress. But today’s world is changing fast.Climate, digital transformation, and shiftingdemographics are forcing us to rethink howeconomies can sustainably grow and createemployment.Conventional PWPs—oftencentered on short-term, low-skilled infra-structure jobs—are struggling to respond.They typically provide immediate relief butoften do not generate sustained benefits.A new generation of PWPs is emerging todo more. These programs introduce inno-vations that improve how social policy isimplemented, while supporting economicdevelopment that is inclusive, sustainable,and jobs-focused. The reportInnovationsinPublic Works:Rethinking PublicWorks for Jobs and Skills in a ChangingWorldexamines new approaches that arereshaping PWPs, highlighting the opportu-nities and challenges they present.Public Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure AuthorizedPublic Disclosure Authorized Rethinking Public Worksfor Jobs and Skills in aChanging World Marko Bucik and Michael Weberi KEY MESSAGES geographies. They can offer more flexible,accessible, and less physically demandingwork, opening new income opportunitiesforwomen,youth,and persons withdisabilities. They can also be more suitablefor remote, underserved areas, and areasaffected by fragility, conflict, or violence. •Public works remain popular but oftenfall short of their full potential.Theyarewidely used,especially in low-andmiddle-incomecountries,and valued fortheirability to combine income supportwith asset creation and skills development.Yet while short-term income gains are welldocumented, the longer-term contributionsofPWPs—through assets,services,orskillsdevelopment—arerarelystudiedand available evidence remains scarce andinconsistent. •New-generation PWPs can be morerelevantand strategic,leading topotentiallybetterreturnsoninvestment.They focus on skills that align more closelywith emerging labor market needs and cansupport job creation. They also move publicworks beyond their basic safety net functionto address key development challenges—this can enable PWPs to generate greaterand more enduring benefits. •A new generation of programs isrethinkingwhat public works cando, aiming to do better and achievemore.Innovativeapproachesaddressthe limitations of conventional PWPs andlookbeyond social protection to deliverbroader and longer-term benefits, tacklingchallenges such as digital transformation,climate, gender gaps, and underinvestmentin human capital. •Innovations are necessary but can bedemanding.New-generation PWPs showthat innovations are key for public works tobecome more impactful, helping people gainskills for future jobs and delivering assetsand services that improve their livelihoodsand well-being. Yet they can be harder todesignand implement,requiring strongercoordination and technical expertise. Buildingsystematic evidence on their effectiveness willbe essential to guide future programmingand scale-up. •New-generation PWPs can be moreadaptive and inclusive, offering moreoptions to account for diverse needs.They introduce new types of work, assets andservices—from reforestation to digital mapsto childcare—that can make public worksmore responsive and effective across diverse Why Public Works Matter allocations: In several countries in Africa, PWPs remainmajor tools for supporting those in need, taking up morethan 20% of social assistance budgets. They are popularbecause they promise a “double dividend”: Providing jobsand income support for poor and vulnerable households,while creating public assets and developing skills. Finally, PWPs remain one of the most widely used socialassistance programs.In recent years, there were around100 PWPs in place in low‑and middle‑income countries.They can have significant scope: In India and Ethiopia, forexample, large‑scale programs benefit millions of peopleevery year. They can account for significant budgetary PWPs are often seen as politically more acceptable thanother social assistance programs, such as cash transfers, since beneficiaries work in return for support, and producevisible results that benefit their communities. The Limits of “Conventional” Public Works that justifies their cost and complexity. For “conventional”programs—typically designed as a safety net for thepoorest, focused on physical infrastructure and low‑skilljobs—results are mixed at best. While these programs reli‑ably deliver short‑term income, their longer‑term contribu‑tions to skills development, employment, the lasting valueof public assets, or other social externalities either appearlimited or are poorly documented. The assumed “doubledividend” therefore remains elusive in practice, promptingreflection on how PWPs can be used more effectively andwhen ot