Skills Interface Platform

The HRDC organised a skill interface on bridging the current and emerging skills gap in the short and medium term in the BPO sub-sector on 27 January 2026. 

This project emanated as a proposal from the ICT Sectoral Committee. Participants were from members of the ICT Sectoral Committee, industry representatives, education and training providers, the regulator of training and the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation.

The main aim of the skills interface was to collaboratively identify current and emerging skills needs and challenges and develop appropriate skills development programmes that would respond effectively to industry requirements.

Objectives of the interface

•    Enhance mutual understanding between E&T providers and industry regarding new developments, trends, and emerging skills needs;
•    Discuss and propose measures to strengthen linkages between E&T institutions and industry; and
•    Inform curriculum design, new programmes to ensure relevance, responsiveness, and industry readiness.

The working sessions were focused on interactive discussions, allowing participants to share insights, perspectives, identify challenges, and subsequently come up with skills development programmes to respond to the skills needs of the industry.

The HRDC organised a Skills Interface on 20 August 2026 at HRDC, Ebène, focusing on the Accountancy and Auditing subsector. The Skills Interface brought together around 25 key stakeholders, including industry representatives, education and training providers and relevant institutions, to discuss current and emerging skills needs, workforce gaps and potential measures to strengthen skills development in the subsector.

This initiative follows recommendations of the HRDC Sectoral Committee on the Financial Services sector, which highlighted skills shortages within the sector. The Accountancy and Auditing subsector has been identified as an area requiring particular attention, notably in view of challenges in attracting new entrants and the need to ensure that skills available in the labour market remain aligned with evolving industry requirements.

The Skills Interface session was conducted through an interactive roundtable format, providing a platform for open dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving. Discussions focused on the specific skills and workforce challenges facing the subsector, as well as possible measures to address them.

The interface is expected to contribute to a shared understanding of current and emerging skills needs, workforce gaps and the skills profile of the Accountancy and Auditing subsector. Discussions also explored measures to attract and encourage new entrants, strengthen collaboration between industry, academia and training providers, identify short- and medium-term training opportunities and support the development of future skills development initiatives.

Objectives of the interface

•    Enhance mutual understanding between E&T providers and industry regarding new developments, trends, and emerging skills needs;
•    Discuss and propose measures to strengthen linkages between E&T institutions and industry; and
•    Inform curriculum design, new programmes to ensure relevance, responsiveness, and industry readiness.

The working sessions were focused on interactive discussions, allowing participants to share insights, perspectives, identify challenges, and subsequently come up with skills development programmes to respond to the skills needs of the industry.

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), through its Research and Projects Division, conducted a Skills Interface for the Medical Laboratories Subsector on 3 February 2026 as part of its sectoral approach to identifying current and emerging workforce and skills needs. The initiative is aligned with the 2026/27 Budget measure for HRDC to launch a Skills-Interface Platform to coordinate employers, training providers and Government in priority sectors and to commission sectoral and national skills intelligence.

Medical laboratories are an essential component of the health system, supporting diagnostic accuracy, patient safety and clinical decision-making. The subsector is evolving rapidly as a result of increasing demand for diagnostic services, the expansion of private laboratories, technological change, automation, stronger quality standards and regulatory requirements. Against this background, the assessment sought to identify critical and emerging skills shortages, examine the alignment of training with workplace and regulatory requirements, assess changing occupational requirements and identify priority areas for workforce development.

Importantly, the resulting report is not simply a record of the Skills Interface discussions. The Interface formed the primary sector engagement mechanism and brought together public and private medical laboratory operators, regulatory and professional bodies, education and training institutions, practitioners and technical experts. Evidence generated through the facilitated discussions was subsequently considered alongside follow-up sector engagements, available workforce and training statistics, occupational information, regulatory and qualification requirements and desk-based research. The findings also contributed to the development of a Skills Matrix mapping occupations, workforce pressures, current and emerging competencies, training requirements and possible progression pathways. At consolidated level, the analysis was informed by the WHO Health Labour Market Analysis framework, enabling the assessment to look beyond numerical shortages to issues of skill mix, training supply, work-readiness, retention, progression and regulation. 

The assessment points to a critical shortage of registered Medical Laboratory Technologists, particularly in the private sector, together with attrition among phlebotomists and laboratory support staff. Other pressure points include limited enrolment in laboratory-related programmes, constraints in progression pathways, regulatory and qualification alignment issues and insufficient practical workplace exposure. Automation and digitalisation are also changing skills requirements, increasing the importance of Laboratory Information Systems, automated analysers, digital quality systems, data interpretation and advanced troubleshooting.

Priority skills development areas include phlebotomy and laboratory support skills; laboratory quality assurance and accreditation; biosafety and infection control; operation and troubleshooting of automated laboratory equipment; Laboratory Information Systems; molecular and advanced diagnostic techniques; professional and communication skills; and modular or stackable progression opportunities for existing workers. The assessment also highlights the importance of stronger practical exposure and clearer pathways from support and technical functions towards higher-level laboratory occupations.

The Medical Laboratories Subsector Report provides the detailed assessment for the subsector, while the Consolidated Private Health Sector Report integrates the evidence from medical laboratories, residential care homes and private clinics to provide a wider perspective on workforce and skills pressures across the private health sector.

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), through its Research and Projects Division, conducted a Skills Interface for the Residential Care Homes Subsector on 20 February 2026 as part of its sectoral work to anticipate emerging workforce requirements and strengthen alignment between skills development and sector needs. The initiative is aligned with the 2026/27 Budget measure for HRDC to launch a Skills-Interface Platform to coordinate employers, training providers and Government in priority sectors and strengthen sectoral and national skills intelligence.

Demand for long-term and residential care is increasing as Mauritius undergoes demographic ageing, family structures change and more elderly persons require support for chronic conditions, reduced mobility, dementia and other age-related care needs. The assessment therefore sought to identify current and emerging skills requirements, examine workforce shortages and occupational bottlenecks, assess gaps in training provision and identify the capabilities needed to support quality and sustainable long-term care.

The report goes beyond reporting the discussions held during the Skills Interface. The Interface provided a structured source of primary sector intelligence by bringing together residential care home operators, allied health professionals, education and training representatives and other relevant institutional participants. The information collected was subsequently consolidated with follow-up sector engagement, available workforce and demographic statistics, occupational information, existing training provision, national and international evidence and desk-based research. These different evidence sources were used to identify recurring workforce pressures and to map occupations, current and emerging competencies, training needs and progression opportunities within the broader Skills Matrix developed for the private health sector. The consolidated assessment was further informed by the WHO Health Labour Market Analysis framework, which considers workforce supply and demand alongside training, skill mix, employment conditions, retention, career progression and other structural factors. 

The assessment shows that the residential care homes subsector faces significant pressure in frontline and supervisory occupations, particularly carers, Healthcare Assistants, geriatric-oriented nurses and supervisory staff. Demand for care workers is expected to grow as the elderly population increases, while recruitment and retention are affected by the limited attractiveness of caregiving occupations, labour-market competition, migration, burnout, demanding working conditions and limited progression opportunities.

The competency profile of the sector is also changing. Priority skills areas include dementia care, palliative and end-of-life support, infection prevention and control, falls prevention, chronic disease support, elderly nutrition, mobility assistance, communication, empathy and dignity in care. Digital capabilities are becoming increasingly relevant as facilities adopt electronic documentation, digital reporting and care-management systems. Supervisory skills, documentation, quality assurance and staff management also require greater attention as the subsector professionalises.

The assessment points towards greater use of competency-based, modular and workplace-oriented training, supported by clearer pathways from Carer to Senior Carer and supervisory functions. Recognition of Prior Learning and stackable training approaches could also enable experienced workers to obtain recognition for competencies acquired through employment.

The Residential Care Homes Subsector Report presents the detailed assessment and workforce development priorities, while the Consolidated Private Health Sector Report places these findings within the wider health workforce context alongside medical laboratories and private clinics.

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), through its Research and Projects Division, conducted a Skills Interface for the Private Clinics Subsector on 5 March 2026 as part of its sectoral work to anticipate workforce requirements and strengthen the alignment between skills development and changing industry needs. The initiative is aligned with the 2026/27 Budget measure for HRDC to launch a Skills-Interface Platform bringing together employers, training providers and Government in priority sectors and to commission sectoral and national skills intelligence.

Private clinics form an increasingly important component of Mauritius' healthcare system, providing specialised treatment, diagnostics, elective care and other services that complement public healthcare provision. The subsector is changing rapidly through greater specialisation, increasing use of Electronic Medical Records (EMR), telemedicine and digital systems, expansion of diagnostic and rehabilitation services and a stronger emphasis on patient-centred care. These developments require not simply additional workers, but a workforce that is increasingly specialised, multi-skilled, digitally capable and service-oriented.

The report was developed as a broader workforce and skills assessment rather than a summary of the Skills Interface alone. The Interface provided a structured mechanism through which private clinic operators, education and training institutions, health authorities and other sector representatives examined workforce shortages, occupational requirements, digital adoption and training alignment. The evidence was complemented by follow-up consultations, workforce information supplied by operators, available national and occupational data, reviews of training provision and desk-based research. The information was analysed and organised through a Skills Matrix linking priority occupations with workforce demand, core and emerging competencies, training requirements and potential career pathways. The consolidated private health assessment additionally applied the WHO Health Labour Market Analysis framework, enabling consideration of skill mix, training capacity, work-readiness, retention, workforce mobility, progression and regulation rather than focusing solely on headcount shortages.

The assessment identifies several important workforce pressure points. Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) represent one of the most immediate frontline requirements, with operator information indicating a substantial gap between current availability and estimated annual demand. Shortages and recruitment pressures were also identified among specialised nurses, Medical Laboratory Technologists, radiographers and imaging professionals, physiotherapists and other allied health occupations. Emerging needs are evident in health informatics, digital support and patient-experience functions.

Training provision was found to be not always sufficiently responsive to these changing requirements, particularly in relation to practical workplace exposure, modularity and flexibility. Priority skills development areas include HCA training and multi-skilling; specialised and geriatric nursing; diagnostic and imaging skills; rehabilitation and physiotherapy; patient communication and service excellence; quality and compliance; and digital skills related to EMR, telemedicine, health informatics and data systems. Short competency-based upgrading programmes for workers already in employment and stronger supervisory and management capability are also required.

The Private Clinics Subsector Report provides the detailed assessment of workforce and skills requirements within private clinics. The Consolidated Private Health Sector Report integrates these findings with evidence from medical laboratories and residential care homes through an Integrated Skills Matrix, providing a broader evidence base on occupations, emerging competencies, training needs and progression pathways.

As part of its Skills Interface series, the HRDC organised a Skills Interface dedicated to the Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO) subsector on 26 March 2026. The initiative formed part of HRDC’s ongoing efforts to foster dialogue among key stakeholders, address current and emerging skills needs, identify workforce gaps and explore appropriate skills development programmes that respond effectively to industry requirements.
The interface brought together around 20 key stakeholders from the ITO subsector, including industry representatives, education and training providers and relevant institutions. The engagement provided a platform for stakeholders to exchange views on workforce challenges, identify priority skills requirements and explore collaborative approaches to skills development.

Background

The organisation of the Skills Interface followed deliberations of the ICT Sectoral Committee, which highlighted a growing demand for ICT-related training across multiple sectors, particularly given the cross-cutting nature of ICT skills across the Mauritian economy.
The ICT sector comprises two distinct subsectors, namely Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Information Technology Outsourcing (ITO), each characterised by different operational models, client profiles and skills requirements. Recognising these differences, HRDC had previously organised a Skills Interface for the BPO subsector on 27 January 2026.
The ITO Skills Interface provided an opportunity to focus specifically on the skills requirements, workforce challenges and development priorities associated with the ITO subsector.

Interactive Stakeholder Engagement
The interface was conducted in an interactive roundtable format, encouraging open dialogue, knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving among industry and training stakeholders.
The format enabled participants to share their experiences and perspectives on the evolving requirements of the ITO subsector, while ensuring that discussions remained focused on the specific operational and workforce realities of the industry.

Key Areas of Discussion

The discussions focused on:
•    current and emerging skills needs within the ITO subsector;
•    priority skills and areas experiencing workforce gaps;
•    challenges faced by employers in recruiting, developing and retaining appropriately skilled talent;
•    alignment between industry requirements and existing education and training provision;
•    barriers affecting skills development and workforce adaptability;
•    opportunities to strengthen collaboration between industry and education and training providers; and
•    potential skills development projects and initiatives to address identified needs.

Key Outcomes

The Skills Interface contributed to:
•    a shared understanding of current and emerging skills needs within the ITO subsector;
•    clearer identification of priority skills and existing workforce gaps;
•    stronger collaboration between industry and education and training providers;
•    greater awareness of barriers affecting skills development;
•    identification of potential areas for targeted skills development interventions; and
•    the identification of possible short-term interventions and medium-term training programmes aligned with industry requirements.

The outcomes of the discussions provided a basis for the development of potential skills development projects and initiatives for the ITO subsector. The deliberations also contributed to the preparation of a consolidated report containing key findings and proposed action points, including short-term interventions and medium-term programmes to support the sector’s evolving workforce requirements.

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), through its Research and Projects Division, conducted a Skills Interface for the Textile and Apparel Subsector on 27 March 2026 as part of its sectoral approach to identifying current and emerging workforce and skills requirements. The initiative is aligned with the 2026/27 Budget measure providing for HRDC to launch a Skills-Interface Platform to coordinate employers, training providers and Government in priority sectors and to commission sectoral and national skills intelligence.

Textile and apparel remains one of the most established pillars of the Mauritian manufacturing sector, supporting employment, exports and industrial capability. However, the sector is undergoing significant transformation. Automation, digital manufacturing, changing global supply chains, sustainability and traceability requirements, and demand for faster and higher-value production are changing the workforce capabilities required by enterprises. The assessment therefore positions the sector not simply as a declining labour-intensive industry, but as one transitioning towards a more capability-driven, technology-enabled and compliance-intensive production model.

The report is not limited to the findings of the Skills Interface. A multi-pronged assessment methodology was used to build a more comprehensive picture of skills demand. The Skills Interface constituted one evidence source and was complemented by qualitative enterprise interviews and follow-up discussions with operators across garments, knitting, spinning, SMEs and larger firms; workforce and occupational statistics; Census-based occupational analysis; information collected through the Skills Matrix Template; stakeholder consultations; and desk-based analysis of local and international evidence. The different sources were triangulated to assess current workforce distribution, occupational pressure points, changing job requirements, training gaps and emerging demand. This evidence was then translated into a Skills Matrix linking priority occupations to skills requirements, demand and training provision. 

A central finding is that the main challenge is not only the availability of workers, but the structure, depth and relevance of skills within the workforce. While the sector retains a large operational base, significant pressure is evident in the technical and supervisory “middle layer” linking shop-floor production to management. Priority roles include production supervisors and foremen, maintenance technicians, production coordinators, merchandisers, quality controllers and technical specialists. Weaknesses in this layer can affect productivity, machine uptime, quality, order coordination, compliance and succession planning.

Technology adoption is also changing workforce requirements. Automation, modern machinery, CAD and digital design, ERP systems, digital production monitoring and data-enabled processes increasingly require employees who can operate and troubleshoot equipment, interpret production information and integrate digital tools into daily operations. Sustainability, circularity, traceability and international buyer requirements are simultaneously creating stronger demand for environmental compliance, documentation and responsible-production capabilities. Continued reliance on expatriate workers and weaknesses in the local pipeline into production and technical occupations add to these pressures.

The assessment points towards more targeted, practical and workplace-oriented skills development. Priority areas include production supervision and leadership; industrial maintenance and machine troubleshooting; automation; CAD and digital design; textile technology; quality assurance and compliance; sustainability and ESG-related skills; traceability; merchandising and production coordination; and structured work-based learning. Training provision exists across several of these areas, but the evidence indicates a need for stronger workplace exposure, occupation-specific content and closer alignment with modern production systems. The Textile and Apparel Skills Assessment Report therefore provides an evidence-based picture of the subsector's current workforce capability, occupational pressure points, emerging skills requirements and priority areas for workforce development.

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC), through its Research and Projects Division, conducted a Skills Interface for the Food Manufacturing Subsector on 10 April 2026 as part of its wider Manufacturing Sector Skills Interface series. The initiative is aligned with the 2026/27 Budget measure providing for HRDC to launch a Skills-Interface Platform to coordinate employers, training providers and Government in priority sectors and to commission sectoral and national skills intelligence.

Food manufacturing is a strategically important component of the Mauritian economy, supporting employment, food security, import substitution, exports and agro-industrial value chains. The subsector covers activities ranging from seafood and fish processing to meat and poultry, dairy, beverages, edible oils, grain-based products and other processed foods. At the same time, operators are facing higher input costs, dependence on imported raw materials, tighter food safety and export requirements, sustainability and traceability expectations and an accelerating shift towards automation and digital production.

The resulting report is a broader skills and workforce assessment and not merely a report of the discussions held during the Skills Interface. An integrated evidence-based methodology was adopted, combining the structured Skills Interface; qualitative enterprise interviews with operators across food production, seafood processing, beverages, poultry, edible oils, distribution, warehousing and cold-chain activities; occupational and workforce statistics; Skills Matrix inputs on current and future occupational requirements; follow-up focus groups and consultations; and desk-based analysis of national and international evidence. The different sources were brought together to identify recurring workforce constraints, examine the relationship between occupational demand and available training, assess emerging skill requirements and translate the evidence into a structured Skills Matrix and priority areas for action. 

The strongest finding from the assessment is that the sector's main constraint is not simply a shortage of workers, but a shortage of technically capable workers in the layer between operators and managers. The most acute pressure points concern maintenance and electromechanical technicians, machine and process operators, quality assurance personnel, food safety personnel, refrigeration and cold-chain specialists, production supervisors and automation-related roles.

Other pressures include reliance on expatriate labour, an ageing workforce in parts of the sector and a relatively weak local pipeline into factory-based and technical occupations. Technology is simultaneously raising the capability threshold. Automation, AI, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), sensors, digital monitoring and traceability systems require workers who can operate increasingly sophisticated equipment, interpret production information, support preventive maintenance and respond effectively to production and quality problems. Emerging functions in sustainability reporting, food technology, packaging, laboratory testing and product development are also becoming more important.

The assessment found that training needs to become shorter, more practical, modular and workplace-linked, particularly for workers already in employment and for SMEs. Priority skills development areas include Food Safety and Hygiene; HACCP implementation; Quality in Food Production and Total Quality Management; refrigeration and cold-storage management; industrial mechanical and electromechanical maintenance; production supervision and leadership; AI and IIoT for food production; sustainability and ESG reporting; food technology and product development; and digital monitoring and traceability. 

The findings reinforce the need to move beyond generic training towards competency-based and work-integrated learning, using real production processes, equipment and workplace problems wherever possible. The Skills Matrix provides a practical evidence base for understanding priority occupations, changing competency requirements and the areas in which capability development can strengthen productivity, food safety, quality, compliance, technology adoption and sector resilience.

The HRDC organised a Skills Interface for the Beverage Manufacturing Sector on 02 June 2026 as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration between industry and the education and training ecosystem and ensure that skills development interventions remain aligned with the evolving needs of the sector and the wider economy.

The session brought together operators from the Beverage Manufacturing sector, industry associations, training institutions, universities and other key stakeholders to discuss current workforce challenges and identify practical, sector-driven responses. The forum provided a platform for stakeholders to explore actionable training solutions that address operational realities within the sub-sector and support the development of a skilled, adaptable and sustainable workforce.

Objectives of the Interface

The Skills Interface focused on:
•    mapping current and emerging skills needs within the beverage manufacturing sector, including occupations and areas experiencing skills shortages;
•    strengthening collaboration between employers, training institutions and universities to better align training provision with industry demand;
•    identifying short, targeted training opportunities that could be supported under HRDC skills development schemes;
•    promoting innovative approaches to the design and delivery of training programmes, with a focus on employability, upskilling and workforce adaptability;
•    identifying practical measures to reduce skills mismatches and bridge gaps between industry requirements and training provision; and
•    exploring sectoral proposals for co-designed training programmes addressing common needs across operators.

Structure of the Session

The Skills Interface was organised around three focused segments:

Session 1 – Industry Outlook
Industry operators, associations and relevant stakeholders shared their perspectives on the current state of the beverage manufacturing sector, including workforce challenges, priority occupations, emerging competency requirements and trends shaping the industry.
Discussions covered areas such as product development, premiumisation, export markets, customer preferences, branding, sustainability, regulatory requirements and evolving workforce structures.

Session 2 – Training Supply
Training institutions and universities presented relevant programmes, certifications and delivery approaches supporting skills development within the sub-sector.
The session also examined the alignment of existing training provision with industry requirements, particularly in areas such as production, distillation, fermentation, bottling, packaging, quality control, compliance, maintenance, logistics and export-related functions.

Session 3 – Joint Deliberation
A structured dialogue between employers, industry representatives and training providers focused on:
•    identifying critical skills gaps, occupational shortages and training bottlenecks;
•    discussing skills that are currently developed internally due to limited formal training provision;
•    exploring practical, hands-on and customised training interventions;
•    identifying common training needs that could be addressed through a clustered sectoral approach;
•    recommending measures to support long-term workforce sustainability; and
•    defining short- and medium-term priorities that could be supported through HRDC skills development schemes.

Key Discussion Themes
The deliberations centred on six main themes:

1. Sector Evolution and Future Direction
Stakeholders discussed changes in product development, premiumisation, export markets, sustainability, quality standards, customer preferences and branding, and their implications for workforce development.

2. Skills and Occupational Shortages
The discussions highlighted roles that are difficult to recruit or retain, including positions in technical production, quality assurance, laboratory work, maintenance, bottling, packaging, compliance, logistics and export-related functions.

3. Production Technology, Process Control and Quality Standards
The interface examined the skills required to operate, maintain and troubleshoot modern equipment and systems used in distillation, fermentation, bottling, packaging and quality control.

4. Training Alignment and Practical Exposure
Participants considered gaps between existing training provision and industry expectations, including the level of practical and work-based exposure required by new recruits and existing workers.

5. Emerging and Evolving Job Profiles
Discussions also covered new and evolving roles in areas such as sensory evaluation, product development, export compliance, sustainability reporting, automation, laboratory testing, and brand and market development.

6. Skills Development Schemes and Training Projects
Stakeholders explored potential short- and medium-term training programmes that could be developed under HRDC schemes, including interventions aimed at both new recruits and existing workers.

Key Outcomes
The Skills Interface provided valuable insights into the workforce and skills development challenges facing the local beverage manufacturing sector. The discussions contributed to:
•    a better understanding of current and emerging skills gaps and occupational shortages;
•    identification of priority training needs across different areas of beverage manufacturing;
•    stronger engagement between industry operators and training providers;
•    identification of practical and work-based training opportunities;
•    exploration of common training needs that could be addressed through a clustered sectoral approach; and
•    identification of potential training projects that could be supported through HRDC skills development schemes.