Employment Training Research Articles

Commercial Awareness in the Law Library: a New Role for Academic Law Librarians?

AbstractIn this article, which expands on a lightning talk that was delivered at the BIALL Conference 2023, Lauren Cummings discusses how she developed and delivered a commercial awareness workshop to third-year students at Goldsmiths, University of London. She then reflects on how employability training relates to information skills and how developing these skills can help students from less advantaged backgrounds achieve their career goals. Lauren also discusses how employability work might fit into the role of the academic law librarian.

Curricular Systems and Enrolment of Learners with Disabilities in the Public Vocational Training Centres of the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training in Cameroon

This study is based on the observation that the participation of learners living with a disability in the Vocational Training Centres of the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training in Cameroon is very low, in contrast to the private centers run by the same ministry, despite the commitment of the Cameroonian government to make schools more inclusive and equitable for all. The aim of the study is to determine, through the perception of administrative staff and trainers, whether the low enrolment observed among these learners can be linked to the possible inadequacy of inclusive measures implemented in the curricula of these schools. To this end, 02 hypotheses were formulated concerning the infrastructures and teaching and learning materials on the one hand, and the quality of the training and professional practices of the trainers on the other. Thanks to the highlights resulting from the descriptive analysis of the quantitative data collected from 46 trainers and 14 learners living with a disability, as well as the positive results of Pearson's correlation test (p < 0.05), some possible solutions are recommended to stimulate the inclusion of these learners.

Can a Labour Market Assessment be used to Help Adolescent Girls and Young Women Improve their Employment Prospects in South Africa?

This article investigated how labour market assessment intervention through employability training can be used as a catalyst to improve employment pathways among adolescent girls and young women (AGYWs) in South Africa. This study adopted quantitative and descriptive research approaches via longitudinal data collection. Secondary data was collected from 3584 AGYWs using a questionnaire survey during employability training from July-October 2021. Robustness analysis was performed using descriptive statistics using SPSS version 27.0. The empirical findings proved that employability training significantly improved the capabilities of adolescent girls and young women on labour market assessments. Relying on these empirical findings, this study proposes a framework for linking AGYWs and the labour market through an employability training capability-based conceptualised model. This study contributes to the current body of knowledge and further contributes to the career development and employability among adolescent girls and young women required to cope with the labour markets in South Africa.

Mixed Signals: The Effect of Employment Training on Employment Outcomes for Previously Incarcerated Individuals.

This work investigates the effects of pre-employment training on employment outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals using two theories developed in the discipline of economics: human capital theory and signaling theory. Human capital theory suggests that preemployment training increases wages and the likelihood of employment by building relevant skills that would improve productivity. Signaling theory asserts that the completion of pre-employment training acts as a signal of participant ability, as ability is known to the applicant but unknown to employers. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, results support hypotheses related to signaling theory for individuals without a history of incarceration, but show no meaningful relationship between pre-employment training and employment outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals. Findings contribute to both economic and criminal justice theory and can be used to inform employment interventions for those with or without a history of incarceration.

Employment Education and Psychological Work of Students in Lower Colleges and Universities Based on the Hierarchical Analysis Method

Abstract This paper establishes a platform interaction model in the context of Internet+ to enhance the motivation of college students to take the initiative to receive employment and entrepreneurship guidance and training. A psychological intervention model regarding hope, optimism, self-efficacy, and resilience is constructed. A new method of fuzzy number ordering determined by the limit coefficient can be obtained by defining the limit coefficient of triangular fuzzy numbers. Hierarchical analysis was used to analyze the employment choice dilemma faced by fresh university graduates and to guide them in making the correct employment choices. The results show that the total mean score of positive psychological capital is 119.99, which indicates that the level of positive psychological capital among college students is high. Employers are very satisfied with the graduates’ operational application ability, which reaches 35%.

Effective or ineffective? Using ChatGPT for staffing in the hospitality industry

Artificial intelligence tools, for example, ChatGPT, are designed for use in various contexts. This research aims to interview ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) about its usage for staffing in the hospitality industry. This is one of only a handful of studies in the hospitality research field to include an interview with the ChatGPT, highlighting its positive aspects, shortcomings, and implications for employers and job seekers. This interview revealed that ChatGPT can be used in candidate screening, virtual interviews based on evaluation criteria, pre- employment assessment, training assistance, and language support. However, the dark side of using ChatGPT can include potential biases, the limitation of emotional intelligence, the possibility of misinterpretation, and the restriction of domain-specific knowledge. Our results have significant implications for the hospitality industry regarding whether ChatGPT can play an influential role in the recruitment process despite its limitations.

The impact of risk perception and preference on farmland transfer-out: Evidence from a survey of farm households in China

This study examines the impact of farmers' risk perceptions on their decision to transfer-out farmland, as well as the variations in this influence based on different risk preferences. The research utilizes survey data from 1389 farmers in rural China. By expanding the decision-making model for farmer households within the context of risk perception, this paper analyzes the equilibrium point of farmers' decision-making using mathematical models. Employing the Probit and Tobit models with instrumental variable methods, we discovered that farmers' perceptions of land revenue risk, land use risk, and non-farm employment risk significantly hindered the decision and rate of farmland transfer-out. Notably, the inhibitory effect decreased progressively. Moreover, risk preference was found to moderates the negative impacts. However, it is worth noting that risk perception remains a crucial factor impeding farmland transfer, primarily due to the prevalence of neutral or risk-averse risk preferences among most farmers. This study presents a novel perspective and explanatory framework for development of the farmland circulation market, aiming to overcome existing challenges from a risk-oriented standpoint. Consequently, it is essential for the government to carefully address all risks associated with farmland transfer, enhance the income guarantee system for farmers post-transfer, and offer non-farm employment training and job opportunities to facilitate the healthy and rapid development of the agricultural land transfer market.

Investigate the role of Certain Explanatory Variables on Risk Aversion and Sorting among Employees in Iraqi Kurdistan

`Understanding the significance of the risk attitude on sorting between public and private workers helps policymakers in introducing reforms in the labor market regulations that prevent oversized public sector jobs and encourage selection into private sector jobs. The current study attempts to assess the role of certain factors such as gender, type of employment and work training on risk aversion among employees in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. Given that public sector jobs provide higher job security than private sector jobs, workers’ risk attitudes can be an important determinant of sector choice. The data of the study was collected from a sample of 300 fourth-stage evenings shift college students from the universities of Sulaimani, Charmo University and Sulaimani Polytechnic University who have already been employed in either the public or private sector. The results of the study indicated that the models containing Gender, Employment type and Work Training as predictors were significant for some of the risk aversion and sorting, particularly 20% and 10% of risk aversion. One-third of risk aversion was found to be related to gender, suggesting that males had reported the aforementioned risk more than females. However, no statistically significant associations were found between 50% of risk aversion and all the independent variables.

Skill Up Tennessee: Job training that works

Employment and training services offered through Extension are part of and continue a long tradition of policy-focused employment and job training. This paper chronicles the successes of UT Extension’s work as a third-party partner in the delivery of workforce development programming geared toward individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The paper begins with an overview of the federal program and a discussion of how Tennessee forged a state-level partnership for the delivery of workforce services. Data showing program success including number of participants served, supportive services offered, and economic impact are highlighted. Finally, lessons learned are outlined.

Understanding the Role(s) of Social Networks in the Transition from Farmers’ Willingness to Behavior Regarding Withdrawal from Rural Homesteads: A Research Study Based on Typical Regions of Sichuan Province

Promoting withdrawal from rural homesteads (WRH) is a significant way of enhancing the efficient use of homesteads, improving the living standards of farmers, and promoting new urbanization. Social networks provide farmers with necessary resources and play an important role in the practices of WRH. Based on a literature review, this paper divides farmers’ social networks into the emotional social network, the economic social network, and the political social network and analyzes the impacts of social networks on farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding WRH using the binary logistic regression model, based on the data of 299 peasant households in Sichuan Province. The following finds are established: (1) the economic social network significantly and negatively affects farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding WRH, while the political social network has a positive impact on farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding WRH; (2) the emotional social network significantly and positively affects farmers’ willingness regarding WRH, but it does not have a significant effect on farmers’ behavior regarding WRH; and (3) the economic social network and political social network exhibit opposite influences on the transition from farmers’ willingness to behavior regarding WRH. We conclude that social networks play a vital role in affecting farmers’ willingness and behavior regarding WRH. The research suggests that expanding the scope of farmers’ interactions and social networks can be helpful in implementing WRH. The employment training system and social security system should also be improved.

Healthcare waste management practice and associated factors among healthcare workers in public healthcare facilities of Southwest Shewa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia.

Poor management of waste can cause serious disease to healthcare personnel, cleaners, waste handlers, patients and the public. An observation-supported cross-sectional study was conducted to assess healthcare waste (HCW) management practice and professional, management and resource availability-associated factors among healthcare workers of 23 public health facilities in Southwest Shewa Zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia, 2021. A total of 424 health workers participated in this study. The level of proper healthcare waste management (HCWM) practice was 38.4%. Lack of knowledge on different methods of healthcare waste treatment (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.101, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.042, 0.242, p < 0.05)), lack of knowledge about the types of healthcare waste (AOR: 0.136, 95% CI (0.039, 0.481, p < 0.05)), lack of knowledge on the use of different colour-coded waste bin and safety box (AOR: 0.145, 95% CI (0.040, 0.520, p < 0.05)), and healthcare workers who had no training/orientation on HCWM practice (AOR: 0.396, 95% CI (0.245, 0.639, p < 0.05)) were less likely to practice effective HCWM compared to their counterparts. The current HCWM practices in studied health facilities was inadequate. Professional knowledge and availability of training were independently associated with HCWM practice. Therefore, regular orientation during employment and on-job training on HCWM practice, regular monitoring and supervision of HCWM are important. Further research should be conducted on the area of HCWM, and its associated environmental impacts by using more strong methods and wider health facilities.

Sustainable HRM, training for employability and organizational outcomes: the moderating role of competitive intensity

PurposeThe present study connects the literature on sustainable HRM with that on employability to investigate the relationship between sustainability-oriented human resource actions and organizational outcomes. More specifically, this study explores how training for employability affects the employer–employee relationship and employee retention. Furthermore, this study considers competitive intensity as a potential moderator in these relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe analyses draw on the fourth European Company Survey (ECS 2019) with a sample of 21?869 firms with more than ten employees. Two separate logistic regression models were used to test the hypothesis.FindingsThe results show that training for employability contributes to improving the employer–employee relationship and that competitive intensity positively shapes this relationship. Contextually, training for employability reduces the overall employee retention of the firm.Originality/valueAlthough this study supports the potential win–win nature of employability support, especially for companies that operate in competitive markets and an uncertain environment, it also highlights the existence of paradoxical sustainability tensions that should be managed by employers.

Occupationally-stratified training strategies in Vietnamese machine manufacturing industry: Implication for general skills training in TVET

There are growing claims that skills mismatch is increasing in Vietnam. Previous studies recommend employer training initiatives to reduce it. However, research has found that firms are allocating more training resources for professional workers. In particular, they tend to provide more training on general skills for professional occupations, while training for intermediate and elementary occupations focuses on specific skills. This has led to the separation of professional and intermediate worker career progression paths by a ‘glass ceiling’. To achieve inclusive skills development, TVET institutions should enhance training in general skills and improve the learning abilities of their students in Vietnam.

State-Level Policies to Incentivize Workplace Learning: Impacts of a California Publicly Funded Employee Training Program

The inability of labor markets to function effectively to satisfy the needs of employers and workers suggests that there is a growing need for policy interventions to promote workplace cultures of learning and innovation. Past research suggests that publicly funded incumbent worker training programs are a promising antidote against market failures. With only a handful of studies published in the last two decades, however, this is one of the least-researched types of business support programs. This paper examines the impact of a state program in California that uses a pay-for-performance approach to reimburse employers that train their employees: the California Employment Training Panel (ETP). Based on a mixed-methods study of ETP, the authors found that, overall, ETP had positive and significant impacts on company sales and firm size. The study suggests the need to abandon ideological debates and engage in more evidence-based policy discussions about incumbent worker training programs.

China–Africa skills transfer through overseas economic and trade cooperation zones

AbstractThis paper investigates the employment patterns, training activities, and skills development outcomes of China's Overseas Economic and Trade Cooperation Zones (OETCZs) in Africa. Drawing upon ethnographic field research and a workers' opinion survey in Ethiopia's Eastern Industrial Zone (EIZ), it answers two questions: How well has intergovernmental collaboration on OETCZs been translated into training opportunities for local workers? What are local workers' perceptions and evaluations of the potentials and constraints of skills development in Chinese companies? Analyses based on field observations and regression models indicate that workers' demographic backgrounds, employment sector, and the peculiarities of Chinese workplaces are important factors to understand the skills development outcomes in Chinese OETCZs.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAM AT THE VOCATIONAL AND PRODUCTIVITY TRAINING CENTER (BBPVP) IN THE CITY OF SERANG

Unemployment is one of the main problems in Indonesia. The problem of unemployment is closely related to economic growth. Unemployment as a problem in development in the country requires efforts to overcome it. One of the efforts to reduce unemployment is the need for manpower training, through training it is hoped that the quality of human resources in the country will increase and meet the criteria needed in the labor market. Many government agencies have attempted employment training, namely the Vocational and Productivity Training Center in Serang City. This study uses the Center for Vocational Training and Productivity Serang City as one of the research objects with the aim of knowing the effectiveness of the implementation of workforce training programs. This research uses a qualitative approach with the type of data analysis collected through interviews. The theory of the dimensions of Effectiveness Nazir (2005) which contains four dimensions of effectiveness, namely: Accuracy of program targets, Program socialization, Program objectives, and Program monitoring. The research results obtained are effective for the Vocational and Productivity Training Center of Serang City in the workforce training program, but it is necessary to channel the workforce directly to companies from training participants and it is necessary to socialize job training programs

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMPLOYMENT TRAINING PROGRAM AT THE VOCATIONAL AND PRODUCTIVITY TRAINING CENTER (BBPVP) IN THE CITY OF SERANG

Unemployment is one of the main problems in Indonesia. The problem of unemployment is closely related to economic growth. Unemployment as a problem in development in the country requires efforts to overcome it. One of the efforts to reduce unemployment is the need for manpower training, through training it is hoped that the quality of human resources in the country will increase and meet the criteria needed in the labor market. Many government agencies have attempted employment training, namely the Vocational and Productivity Training Center in Serang City. This study uses the Center for Vocational Training and Productivity Serang City as one of the research objects with the aim of knowing the effectiveness of the implementation of workforce training programs. This research uses a qualitative approach with the type of data analysis collected through interviews. The theory of the dimensions of Effectiveness Nazir (2005) which contains four dimensions of effectiveness, namely: Accuracy of program targets, Program socialization, Program objectives, and Program monitoring. The research results obtained are effective for the Vocational and Productivity Training Center of Serang City in the workforce training program, but it is necessary to channel the workforce directly to companies from training participants and it is necessary to socialize job training programs

The role of psychological capital in flourishing among job seekers: Grit as a mediator

Psychological resources are crucial in enhancing individual potential, yet few studies have focused on positive psychological variables among job seekers. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine the influence of psychological capital on flourishing, with grit as a mediator. A cross-sectional survey method was employed, with data collected using questionnaires involving 226 participants. Three instruments were included in the questionnaire: the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ), the Flourishing Scale, and the Short Grit Scale. The data were analyzed using bootstrapping mediation analysis via PROCESS software. The results show that all the psychological capital dimensions (hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism) significantly influenced grit, with β ranging from .21 to .57 (p .000), and also significantly influenced flourishing, with β ranging from .23 to .40 (p .000). Grit also significantly mediated the psychological capital dimensions and flourishing. These findings indicate that psychological capital, grit and flourishing are important in developing individuals’ potential. It is hoped that they will be useful in designing employability training which incorporates positive psychology resources as intervention modules to assist graduates seeking job opportunities.

The ripple effect: A critical analysis of the successful development of the material scope of Directive 2000/78/EC in the context of age

This article analyses the material scope of Directive 2000/78 as it has been interpreted by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU). From the outset, a very broad interpretation of the material scope provisions in Article 3 has been promulgated to ensure that the equality purposes of the Directive are met. The article analyses three particular areas of concern which have arisen in the age context, namely: access to employment, occupation and vocational training; employment conditions, including pay; and termination of employment and occupation. The article comes to three main conclusions in this regard. Firstly, when access is restricted, the CJEU will invariably find such a measure to fall within the scope of the Directive. Secondly, where conditions of employment, including in this context pay, are impacted in some way, the CJEU has been willing to stretch the boundaries of the scope of the Directive through the use of a contractual nexus approach. There are some red lines that the CJEU has been unwilling to cross, but these are rare. Finally, in the termination of employment, including dismissal and retirement, the CJEU has applied an access/exercise approach so as to adeptly include such measures within the scope of the Directive, despite textual challenges. The article then goes on to apply these principles set out by the CJEU in the context of some recent preliminary references. This application also provides support for the proposition that the material scope is a very broad one which can encompass a range of measures within its terms, and that the situations in which some measures fall outside the scope of the Directive are very limited.

Competencies and employment after a university program in young people with intellectual disabilities.

This study analyzes the relationship between the employability competencies acquired after completing an employment training program at university and the subsequent access to employment of young people with intellectual disabilities. To do this, the employability competencies of 145 students were analyzed at the end of the program (T1) and information was gathered on their career path at the time of the study (T2) (n = 72). Sixty-two per cent of the participants have had at least one job since graduation. Job competencies increase the probability of accessing and retaining employment in students who graduated at least 2 years before (X2 = 17.598; p < .001; r2 = .583). These results compel us to complement employment training programs with new opportunities and greater job accessibility.