Shaping International Law on Decent Work for Young Workers

Impact at a glance

Professor Deirdre McCann’s research has changed international law:

• Professor McCann was an Expert Advisor to the United Nation’s International Labour Organisation (ILO) and its constituents - governments and employers' and workers' organisations in 187 countries - on a new international labour law, the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208).
• The ILO drew on Deirdre’s research on apprenticeship regulation, unacceptable work and informalisation in drafting the Recommendation.
• This new law is a landmark: the first international standard on apprenticeships since the 1960s, a vital mechanism to combat youth unemployment and promote lifelong learning, a path to decent work, and a crucial step in the evolution of international labour law.

What was the problem?

• In recent years, increasing numbers of young people are unemployed. In 2023, The International Labour Organisation (ILO) reported that youth unemployment equated to more than one in five (23.5%) (. Effective policies are urgent to tackle these challenges, and apprenticeships are a valuable tool towards reducing unemployment and raising skill levels.
• Professor McCann’s project on investigated how labour law can support high quality apprenticeships in countries across the world.

How did these changes come about?

• Professor Deirdre McCann’s research has made a core contribution to international law and policy through its influence on the work of the United Nations (UN) International Labour Organization (ILO) – the UN Specialist Agency responsible for international law and policy on working life.
• In October 2019, the ILO embarked on the process of designing a new international law on apprenticeships: a core form of training that combines on-the-job learning with study at an educational institution. This ‘standard-setting’ process responded to growing concerns about youth unemployment across the globe. The ILO recognised the key role that apprenticeships can play in enabling young people to acquire skills and to transition from education to work, and for jobseekers and workers of all ages who need to retrain or upskill.
• Deirdre was appointed as an Expert Adviser to the UN International Labour Organization together with Professor Andrew Stewart of the University of Adelaide. She advised the ILO and its constituents in 187 countries on the labour rights dimension of an international law, the challenges of unacceptable work and informality, and the role of an apprenticeship standard within the broader global labour law landscape. Deirdre provided guidance on the content, form and regulatory strategy of the Quality Apprenticeships Recommendation, 2023 (No. 208) (2021-).
• Together with Professor Andrew Stewart, Deirdre authored an ILO Legal Guide that provides guidance to the Organization’s member States on Recommendation No. 208 and how it can be implemented (2025). Deirdre’s guidance is influencing governmental policies across the world, including in countries in which the ILO is providing technical support through its network of Field Offices e.g. India, Jordan, Malawi.

What has happened since?

• The ILO adopted Recommendation No. 208 in 2023.
• The aim of the Recommendation is to expand meaningful and protected training opportunities across the world by setting standards for quality apprenticeships, specifying minimum rights and protections for apprentices, providing guidance on the design of regulatory frameworks, and promoting the availability of, and demand for, apprenticeship systems.
• The Recommendation is the international-level law and policy framework for apprenticeships, including in the ILO’s role as the lead UN agency responsible for achieving Sustainable Development Goal No. 8 (decent work and economic growth), and also provides guidelines for ILO member States to use in the design and regulation of their apprenticeship regimes.

What next?

Professor McCann continues to research on effective labour rights, most recently on labour rights in the World Bank's new Business Ready project and working time in platform work.