Employment Rates Research Articles

Tracer Study of the Bachelor of Arts Graduates of the University of Cebu-Main Campus from 2019-2024

This study determined the factors influencing job placement among graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cebu-Main Campus between 2019 and 2024, serving as a basis for proposed curriculum enhancements. The study used descriptive research design methods with the adopted-modified questionnaire, with frequency counts and percentages applied to analyze the results. Findings reveal that graduates, particularly those from the Psychology, Political Science, and English programs, are highly employable, whether through direct applications or referrals. Key factors influencing job choices include career challenges, salary, and benefits. The study also highlights a notable gender disparity, with most female graduates and a steady increase in graduates during the study period, peaking in 2024. Although the employment rate is high, most graduates occupy rank-and-file positions, with fewer advancing to managerial roles. Also, many graduates eventually shift to fields unrelated to their studies, indicating a potential mismatch between education and career progression. Graduates identify communication, human relations, problem-solving, and critical thinking as essential skills in their professional roles. These insights suggest the need for curriculum adjustments to align education with long-term career success better.

Examining Occupation Fields of Programs According to Artificial Intelligence: Anadolu University Open Education System Case

Anadolu University's Open Education System (OES) accommodates over one million students and has incorporated an AI-based Virtual Assistant for non-academic support since 2022. While OES offers abundant information about its programs on its website, there is a notable absence of support services providing job recommendations related to students' chosen programs. This gap in student support extends to the post-graduation phase, with the Virtual Assistant lacking a concept for guiding students in finding employment opportunities. Recognizing the need for comprehensive assistance, this study sought to leverage AI capabilities to offer job recommendations by extracting information from the objectives of 63 OES programs. The initial inquiry involved requesting AI-generated job recommendations based on the stated objectives of these programs. Subsequently, the Virtual Assistant was tasked with providing insights into the occupation fields associated with OES programs. Analysis of the AI's responses, along with the classification of occupations according to the International Standards of Classifications of Occupations (ISCO) and the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED), forms the core of this study. Contrary to trends observed in most European countries, the predominant number of graduates in Türkiye emerges from business and management fields. However, the correlation between graduation rates and subsequent job placements appears suboptimal within the labor force and employment landscape. The study advocates for the integration of AI in offering job recommendations, incorporating graduation and employment rates. This approach enables students to seek guidance on suitable programs aligned with their skills, fostering a more informed decision-making process. The study underscores the potential for higher education institutes to share employment and labor force data.

The interactive effect of maternity leaves and child care enrollment on maternal employment

This cross-country empirical research investigates the impact of maternity leaves and the child care enrollment rates on increasing maternal employment. By analyzing data from OECD countries with country-fixed effects, we find that the child care enrollment for 0–2 year olds increases the maternity employment rate. We confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship between the maternity leave duration and the maternity employment rate, as evidenced in prior studies. More interestingly, we find that an interaction term between child care enrollment and maternity leave duration is significantly positive, suggesting that two variables play a complement role in enhancing maternal employment rate. By examining the independent and complementary effects of extended maternity leave and child care enrollment rates, our study suggests that their combined use significantly enhances maternal employment rates, highlighting a complementary relationship that policymakers should consider to support working mothers effectively.

Market Regulation, Cycles, and Growth Dynamics in a Monetary Union

AbstractWe build a two‐country currency union dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model with endogenous growth to assess the role of product market regulation (PMR) and labor market regulation (LMR) for growth and the adjustment to shocks. We show that with endogenous growth, there is no reason to expect real income convergence. Large shocks can lead to permanent changes of output and real exchange rates. Differences are exacerbated by different PMR and LMR. Less regulated economies have higher trend growth and recover faster from negative shocks. Results are consistent with higher inflation, lower employment, and disappointing total factor productivity (TFP) growth rates experienced in more regulated euro area members.

Artificial Intelligence in Virtual Reality for Blind and Low Vision Individuals: Literature Review

Virtual reality (VR) technologies have garnered substantial attention and adoption across various fields, including workspaces and education. People with disabilities, who already face lower employment rates and fewer full-time opportunities, may be further disadvantaged. Addressing this, recent advancements have focused on making VR inclusive, particularly for individuals with visual impairments. With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it has also become possible to integrate AI technologies into VR systems to enhance accessibility for individuals with visual impairments. Despite growing interest, there is a gap in comprehensive literature focusing on AI’s role in enabling blind and low vision individuals to experience VR. This review aims to fill that void by providing an overview of current research, discussing benefits and challenges, and identifying future opportunities. By synthesizing existing research, this study contributes insights for researchers, developers, and practitioners working in the field of accessibility and assistive technology.

Assessing Evidence-Based Disability Inclusion Policy and Practices to Promote Employment of People With Disabilities in the Workplace: Scale Development and Validation

There is a strong commitment in the United States and the European Union to better support people with disabilities in the competitive labor market, where disability inclusion is widely viewed as a social imperative and underscored in policies, such as the European Union’s Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2020–2030, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. However, there is a lack of readily available strategies and tools for rehabilitation counselors to collaborate effectively with businesses and organizations in assessing their progress toward these inclusion goals. To address this need, the Disability Inclusion Profiler (DIP23) was developed to assess disability inclusion policies and practices. This study aimed to examine the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the DIP23 in a sample of 466 human resources managers. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a two-factor measurement structure: (1) Executive Level and (2) Middle Management and Staff Level Disability Inclusion Policies. Both factors demonstrated strong internal consistency and correlated with employment rates of people with disabilities. The DIP23 is a psychometrically sound measure for rehabilitation counselors to help organizations assess their disability-inclusive climate and identify areas of strengths and areas needing improvement to increase disability representation in the workplace.

Striding towards a greener future: Unlocking the potential of natural resources and employment dynamics in green energy transition in sub‐Saharan Africa

AbstractThe adoption and utilization of renewable energy offer potential benefits such as enhanced energy efficiency, cost savings, and ecological advantages. However, a key research question addressed in this analysis is whether natural resource rent and employment dynamics influence renewable energy consumption in Africa. Previous research has predominantly focused on the aggregate employment rate, overlooking the nuances of labor diversity across sectors and employment types. Hence, this study evaluates the importance of natural resource rent and employment in driving the transition to green energy in sub‐Saharan Africa from 1991 to 2022. It employs the innovative method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) model for this purpose. The findings reveal a positive connection between natural resource rent and the adoption of green energy. When considering employment types, the study observes that self‐employment and wages/salaried workers undermine clean energy utilization. Moreover, the study highlights that employment across key economic sectors also plays a role. While employment in the agriculture and service sectors fosters green energy utilization, employment in the industrial sector impedes renewable energy consumption. To advance the development of green energy in Africa, this study underscores a range of policy options.

Impact of IT and English Courses on Youth Unemployment in Bulungur District, Samarkand

This research looks into how IT and English language classes affect youth unemployment in Bulungur District, Samarkand, where rural unemployment rates have stayed consistently high. In spite of numerous government interventions, there remains a shortage of studies on the efficacy of skill-focused educational initiatives in rural Uzbekistan. Utilizing a combination of different methodologies, the research study examines secondary data from local employment reports and conducts a case study on Purpose Education, a prominent training center in the area. Research shows that the incorporation of IT and English classes led to a notable decrease in unemployment, as the employment rate for graduates rose from 43% in 2021 to 76% in 2022. The findings indicate that focused educational efforts can successfully tackle joblessness in rural regions, but additional synchronization with local economic demands and enhancements to infrastructure are required for long-term achievement. The research offers important knowledge for policy makers and schools looking to decrease rural unemployment with skill development initiatives.

The Effectiveness of Teaching High-Risk Cooking Skills with Video Models to Individuals with Intellectual Disability

ABSTRACT The education of individuals with intellectual disability should include professional and safety skills to become qualified for jobs and increase employment rates. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of teaching these individuals high-risk cooking skills with video models in order to learn to work as assistant cooks. The results show that this approach was effective. In follow-up after one, two, and four weeks, all three subjects retained the nine skills taught by video and generalized them to different settings.

A Study on The Relationship Between Organic Agriculture and Agricultural Employment in Türkiye

Organic agriculture is a sustainable agricultural system with different principles that is carried out within the scope of certain rules. Due to the substitution of organic inputs with chemical inputs, getting the products ready for sale, weed control, and similar operations by hand, enterprises engaged in organic farming require a larger labor force. All these jobs increase employment opportunities in rural areas and allow small family businesses to continue production. In this study, it has been tried to reveal the relationship between organic agriculture and agricultural employment with the help of an econometric model and to determine the effect of organic agriculture on employment. The study analyzed a 17-year time series of data spanning from 2004 to 2021 to identify the factors influencing agricultural employment, taking into account various aspects of organic agriculture, including the number of organic agricultural products, the count of farmers engaged in organic agriculture, the area dedicated to organic agricultural production, the organic wild collection area, the total area allocated for organic agricultural production, the quantity of organic agricultural production, the number of entrepreneurs involved in organic agriculture, the unit price of subsidy for organic agriculture, and the total amount of subsidy provided to organic agriculture. Based on the results of the regression analysis, it was determined that the number of organic products does not have a significant effect on agricultural employment. In addition, it was found that the wild harvesting area is positively significant for agricultural employment and that the total production area of organic agriculture and the amount of subsidy are negatively significant. The results of the research reveal that a 1% increase in the wild harvesting area related to organic agriculture would lead to an increase of more than 0.28% in the agricultural employment rate, while a 1% increase in the total production area and the amount of subsidy would lead to a decrease of 0.40% and 0.44% in the agricultural employment rate, respectively.

Does women’s higher education reduce wage inequality? Evidence from Palestine using repeated cross-sectional data

Despite the increase of the share of highly-educated women, gender wage gap remains an ongoing issue in developing countries. The increase in women’s education would provide them with more job opportunities resulting in higher employment rate amongst women and, thus, lower gender pay gap. In Palestine, the share of women with high education is 62% while their labor force participation rate is only 18%. This paper examines the effects of gender higher education on wage inequality in the Palestinian context. The study applied the Mincer equation to study the determinants of wage, while the decomposed Gini coefficient is used to measure the contribution of education and other factors to overall wage inequality. The study used data from the labor force survey (LFS) which is conducted by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) covering the period from 2010 to 2020. Results show that those with higher education have relatively higher wages as compared to those with only high education or with school education. Results also show that gender wage inequality has increased during the study period (2010–2020), but the contribution of both gender and education differences to the overall wage inequality has decreased. In general, the gender pay gap remains a crucial issue in the Palestinian context with a persisting decreasing pay gap over time across all education levels. Policymakers shall orient efforts towards investing in women’s education, thus increasing their empowerment in the labor market, which in turn would improve the level of development and economic growth in the country.

Macroeconomic determinants of labour costs in the EU: a comprehensive panel and cluster analysis

Abstract Labour costs are a fundamental component of production expenses, significantly impacting both the quantity and quality of output. This study explores the determinants of labour costs within EU member states that have implemented minimum wage policies over the past two decades. The research technique includes a comprehensive panel analysis of EU member states to identify significant variables influencing labour costs, as well as cluster analysis to discover underlying patterns across the nations under examination. Our findings reveal that higher minimum wage levels, higher employment rates, increased labour productivity, and greater trade openness are positively correlated with higher labour costs. Specifically, increases in these variables lead to higher wages and a broader tax base, while greater trade openness results in elevated labour costs due to expanded market opportunities. Conversely, gross fixed capital formation negatively affects labour costs, as investments in production assets tend to reduce labour requirements or hours worked. The cluster analysis led to the identification of three distinct groups. The first cluster consists of well-developed economies with modest labour cost increases and average minimum wages. The second cluster includes countries with substantial labour cost increases, low minimum wages, and significant productivity gains. The third cluster features nations with high minimum wages and high employment rates. This paper contributes to the field by highlighting the complex interplay between labour costs and economic factors, offering insights for decision-makers to tailor macroeconomic and company-level strategies to specific local conditions. The findings emphasise the importance of balancing wage policies with sustainable economic development to enhance competitiveness while ensuring fair labour conditions.

COVID-19 School Closures Were Associated With A Decline In Employment For Female Nurses With Young Children.

COVID-19-related school closures may have had unintended consequences affecting the ability of health professionals with school-age children to work-particularly female professionals, who often have disproportionate child care responsibilities. We combined labor-force participation data from the Current Population Survey with measures of school closures based on cell phone mobility data to examine the association between local school closures and labor supply among female nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the six months after large-scale closure of schools at the end of the 2019-20 school year (March-August2020), among counties with above-median school closure rates, the employment rate of female nurses with young children declined by 12.5percentage points versus the rate during the prior four months (November2019-February2020); the change in the employment rate in below-median counties was not statistically significant. No statistically significant changes were observed among female nurses who had only older children or among male nurses. During public health emergencies, policies should consider how disruptions to schooling may affect the labor supply of health care professionals. Strategies might include direct provision of child care by health care facilities, subsidies and other aid to child care centers, or subsidies to health care workers for affordable child care.

Long-term impact of immigration status on outcomes in pediatric kidney transplant recipients

This study aimed to investigate the effects of documentation status on pediatric kidney transplant outcomes in a single-center setting, emphasizing the significance of state insurance access for undocumented patients and federal policies like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) on patient outcomes. A cohort of 283 patients, including 48 undocumented individuals, who received their first kidney transplant as children between 1998 and 2011 was analyzed. There was no significant difference in unadjusted all-cause (P = .91) and death-censored (P = .38) graft survival between undocumented patients and patients with permanent legal status, subsequently referred to as US residents. Additionally, in the Cox proportional hazards model, immigration status was not significantly associated with all-cause graft survival (hazard ratio 0.87, 95% CI 0.51-1.46, P = .6). Telephone interviews were conducted with the undocumented cohort. Forty-one of 48 of the undocumented recipients were contacted. Ninety-five percent had access to insurance with 68.3% on Medicaid or Medicare. DACA recipients exhibited higher employment rates (88% vs 67%, P = .11) and were more likely to complete a degree beyond high school (47.1% vs 12.5%, P = .01). Immigration status did not impact long-term graft survival, suggesting eligibility expansions for state-funded insurance and DACA may improve access to transplant care for undocumented patients. Moreover, DACA recipients showed trends toward increased employment and education compared to non-DACA recipients.

Influence of education on improving the employment prospects of individuals with disabilities

The occurrence of disparities in income among various social groups is defined by the economic term social inequalities. In the subject literature, this term is often used in association with the individuals with disabilities and their uncertain position in the job market or the barriers that they face in the education process. Thus, this paper attempts to fill an existing research gap by answering the research question of how the employment level will change among individuals with disabilities with a specific level of education if the number of individuals with disabilities with higher education changes. The main goal of the conducted study is to analyse the impact of the population size of individuals with disabilities of working age on their employment level in Poland, taking into account differences in the level of education. Particularly, the focus is on the relationships between the level of education and earning potential. To obtain answers to the research question, a national and international literature analysis was conducted, and in the empirical part, a panel regression model was employed. The results of the panel regression analysis indicate a significant impact of the interaction between the population of individuals with disabilities and the level of education on employment in Poland. Education plays a significant role in the employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities, and this dependency is also influenced by the demographic factor of population size. The interpretation of indicators may indicate a significantly higher demand for vocational and technical skills in the labour market, compared to contributing to higher employment rates of individuals with disabilities possessing these specific qualifications.

Reform of Photography Education in Chinese Applied Universities in the Self-Media Era: Evidence from Responsible Persons in the Photography Major

Live streaming and short videos have become the most favored means of communication, and the prevalence of self-media has had a profound impact on traditional media industries, indirectly promoting reforms in Chinese photography education. This study delves into the current state of photography education in Chinese applied universities and the transformations undertaken in response to the challenges posed by self-media. The research covers the development status of university photography programs, the impact of live streaming and short videos on photography education, changes in teaching models, and the issues encountered during these reforms. Through in-depth interviews with heads and instructors of photography programs at five applied universities in China, and using NVIVO software for thematic analysis, the study examines the professional divisions, curriculum design, teaching methods, student employment rates, reform policies, and the challenges faced. The research finds that the prevalence of live streaming and short videos has had a positive impact on the dynamic imaging specialties within photography education, but has been detrimental to the static imaging specialties. Universities have actively reformed their teaching methods in response to market demands, yet still face challenges in integrating live streaming-related courses. This study provides the latest insights for practitioners in the Chinese self-media industry and offers valuable references for university policymakers and researchers.

Contribution of TVET Schools’ Outcomes on Human Capital Development in Rwanda: A Case of Bugesera District

The study assessed the specific contribution of TVET schools’ outcomes to human capital development in Rwanda. The specific objectives of this study investigatet the role of TVET schools on the employment rate, assessed the students and parents’ attitudes towards technical vocational education and training trades, and established the relationship between TVET schools’ outcomes and human capital development in Bugesera District. The study involved 610 TVET students, graduates, trainers, school managers, employers, parents, and community administrators in Bugesera district. The researcher used human capital theory and skill-biased technological change theory. A mixed-methods design with 241 respondents was used, with purposive and simple random sampling. Data was collected through questionnaires and documentation, and analyzed using SPSS. For the first objective indicated that , TVET schools prepare students for employment opportunities, with 86.1% strongly agreed that there is an increase in employment opportunities for TVET graduates compared to other educational streams, with 93.7% strongly agreeing and 2.5% agreeing, 87.3% strongly agreed that TVET schools adequately equip students with the necessary skills for the job market, 62.0 strongly agreed that the choice of technical trades offered by the TVET school contributes to higher employment rates. To the second results objective, the finding reveals that 67.1% strongly that TVET school gave them the necessary skills and knowledge needed to enter the job market, and they are satisfied, and 89.9% strongly agreed that TVET schools have a substantial impact on enhancing the employment rate of graduates in Rwanda,84.8% strongly agreed that TVET graduates have higher employment rates compared to university graduates, 83.5% strongly agreed. The study found a significant association between improved work opportunities, job readiness, technical skills, practical skills, lifelong learning, and increased workforce productivity, with innovation and adaptability positively related to these independent variables, with a p-value less than 0.05. TVET schools in Rwanda are crucial for human capital development, promoting economic growth and poverty reduction. They should equip students with practical skills, foster an entrepreneurial culture, and offer programs in emerging fields.

Do Non-Clinical Services Help to Improve Functional Outcomes Among Young Adults With Mental Disorders? A Systematic Review.

Mental disorders during young adulthood can significantly impair functioning in daily activities. Non-clinical support services aim to improve functioning by helping people to build social and life skills, participate in education and employment and improve physical health. This study aims to examine and synthesise the evidence for non-clinical services on improving functional outcomes for young adults with mental disorders. A systematic search was undertaken to identify quantitative and qualitative studies reporting on a non-clinical service component (vocational support, peer support, youth development, lifestyle interventions, family and network support) and examining functional outcomes (e.g., outcomes focussed on work and education, life skills, relationships and healthy behaviours). Seventeen studies met inclusion criteria. Identified studies focussed on vocational support services (n = 9), lifestyle interventions (n = 6) and family and network support services (n = 2). No studies on peer-support services or youth development services were found. More than half of the vocational support service studies reported increased employment rates among young adults (n = 6). Studies focussing on lifestyle interventions included a combination of physical activity, nutrition education, health coaching and motivation and behaviour change. However, the measures of functioning used across studies were too varied to determine whether lifestyle interventions may be useful in improving functional outcomes for young adults. Further research is needed to understand the impact of non-clinical services on functioning. This evidence will provide pragmatic guidance for service planners to invest in supports and interventions that make a meaningful difference to the lives of young adults living with mental disorders.

Beyond the resume: HR students’ evaluations of interview performances by first and second language speakers

PurposeHigh-stakes decision-makers, including human resource (HR) professionals, often exhibit accent biases against second language speakers in professional evaluations. We extend this work by investigating how HR students evaluate simulated job interview performances in English by first and second language speakers of English.Design/methodology/approachEighty HR students from Calgary and Montreal evaluated the employability of first language (L1) Arabic, English, and Tagalog candidates applying for two positions (nurse, teacher) at four points in the interview (after reading the applicant’s resume, hearing their self-introduction, and listening to each of two responses to interview questions). Candidates’ responses additionally varied in the extent to which they meaningfully answered the interview questions.FindingsStudents from both cities provided similar evaluations, employability ratings were similar for both advertised positions, and high-quality responses elicited consistently high ratings while evaluations for low-quality responses declined over time. All speakers were evaluated similarly based on their resumes and self-introductions, regardless of their language background. However, evaluations diverged for interview responses, where L1 Arabic and Tagalog speakers were considered more employable than L1 English speakers. Importantly, students’ preference for L1 Arabic and Tagalog candidates over L1 English candidates was magnified when those candidates provided low-quality interview responses.Originality/valueResults suggest that even in the absence of dedicated equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training focusing on language and accent bias, HR students may be aware of second language speakers’ potential disadvantages in the workplace, rewarding them in the current evaluations. Findings also highlight the potential influence of contextual factors on HR students’ decision-making.

Analysis of Instruments for Implementing Intelligent Job Matching Models

Vocational high schools in Indonesia face challenges in producing graduates who meet the needs of the job market. The link and match policy along with the Job Matching system are proposed to enhance curriculum relevance to the workforce. The intelligent job matching model, which integrates machine learning technology, is expected to provide job recommendations aligned with graduates' competencies. Data analysis techniques used include qualitative and quantitative statistical analysis, encompassing Validity Analysis, Practicality Analysis, and Effectiveness Analysis. The intelligent job matching model has proven effective in assisting in matching vocational high school students' competencies with workforce demands in the industry. In the 2023 job fair, the success ratio of students invited for interviews until the employment process reached 53.13%, exceeding the Ministry of education and culture's target of 40%. This indicates that the model can provide job recommendations accurately enough, aiding in improving the direct employment rate of vocational high school students. Research indicates that the intelligent job matching model is effective in facilitating students' transition to the workforce. The model has been tested for validity, practicality, and effectiveness in enhancing students' employability and strengthening the relationship between education and industry.