KEY COMPETENCES OF FUTURE GARMENT WORKERS: THE OFFER AND DEMAND IN THE LABOUR MARKET

Abstract

Relevance: State standards for professional (vocational) education of such professions as "seamstress", "dressmaker", "cutter" reveal the content of essential professional competences of these professions, as well as list general (key) competences common to all three professions. They have led to the need to identify a separate list of key competences required by employers of garment enterprises for each profession.
 Aim: analysis, comparison and generalization of the offer and demand for key competences of garment workers in the Ukrainian labour market; determination of personal qualities, demanded by modern employers of Ukrainian garment enterprises for such professions as "seamstress", "dressmaker", "cutter".
 Methods: the paper has analyzed, compared and summarized 270 vacancies and 344 curricula vitae available on Ukrainian and international job search websites to determine the level of needs of Ukrainian employers in the garment industry for garment workers with key competences (www.work.ua, www.hh.ua, www.rabota.ua).
 Results. The paper clarifies the statistical needs of employers of Ukrainian garment enterprises for seamstresses, dressmakers and cutters with key competences. It compares the offer and demand for garment workers and proves that they cannot adequately meet the needs of modern employers due to insufficient levels of their key competences. It highlights that dressmakers and cutters are the more in-demand workers with key competences and should work in the field of public services or a single production...
 Conclusions: the paper proves the interdependence between the need for well-developed personal qualities of skilled workers and types of profession and production. It reveals the role of garment workers' key competences in developing personal qualities required by Ukrainian garment enterprises for such professions as "seamstress", "dressmaker" and "cutter", as well as the connection between key and professional competences.