Qualified Professions Research Articles

Gender Disparities in Kazakhstan’s Labor Market: Evidence from the Quality Employment

Gender disparities in the labor market have remained a critical area of economic research, particularly in understanding how men and women experience different employment conditions. This study aims to assess the quality of employment for men and women, focusing on the multidimensional quality of jobs, including formal and informal employment, unemployment, and access to highly qualified professions. The research employs a standardized approach using Z-scores to analyze deviations from average labor market indicators across genders, enabling a comparative evaluation of employment trends over the past decade. Data were drawn from national labor force statistics, covering a wide range of indicators such as labor force participation, employment rates, unemployment, and sectoral distribution. The results of the study show significant gender differences. The average level of the involvement of women in the labor force during the study period was 64.96%, while for men this figure reached 76.38%. The employment rate among women was 4.5% lower on average compared to men, and for women in informal employment, it was 20.16% versus 20.76% for men. Women also showed a higher unemployment rate: 5.71% versus 4.36% for men. The study also highlights the impact of external economic shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, on labor market dynamics, exacerbating gender disparities. Future research should focus on developing policies that reduce informal employment and increase job stability for women. Further study of the long-term effects of global economic crises on gender differences in the quality of employment is also necessary to develop effective measures.

Predicting teachers’ use of digital technology

In recent years, the use of digital technology and its relationship to the ability known as digital competence has become a core concept in discussions about the skills that individuals should possess in a knowledge society. Teachers’ skills in using digital technology are becoming a critical component of developing practical pedagogical knowledge for practice and student learning enhancement. The purpose of this study is to predict the factors that influence secondary school teachers when it comes to using digital technology. This study will establish relationships between personal innovativeness, technology self-efficacy, attitude toward digital technology, and digital competence. In Pahang, Malaysia, a survey was conducted with 493 secondary school teachers from 50 public secondary schools of 11 districts. Proportionate stratified sampling, cluster random sampling, and simple random sampling were used to obtain samples. The findings have established that technology self-efficacy, attitude towards digital technology, and digital competence significantly affect how teachers use digital technology. These findings emphasize the importance of increasing teachers’ digital competence as well as numerous elements that influence teachers’ use of digital technology to fulfill the expectations of future qualified professions and thus prepare students for their future.

Aktüerya Mesleğinin Sigortacılık Sektörü Özelinde Genel Değerlendirmesi: Türkiye Örneği

Actuary is a qualified profession related with analyzing financial influence of risk for businesses via application of mathematical and statistical skills. Actuaries foresee and minimize financial uncertainty. Actuary is the professional title given to a person who employs statistical techniques and mathematical skills to evaluate the probability and financial consequences of an event. The aim of this paper is to introduce the profession of actuary with particular reference to finance industry and –in particular- insurance industry. Literature on this profession is rather scarce, but this profession is becoming more attractive and necessary given the growing economic activity and business in Turkey as an emerging economy. Financial risks increase in line with the inclining business activity due to the fact that the spectrum of risks develops in today’s business. This study covers the application of actuary in Turkey where life-insurance and private pension line of business have improved significantly since 2000 with growing asset under management and number of the insured.

Gender Equality and Modernity in Portugal. An Analysis on the Obstacles to Gender Equality in Highly Qualified Professions

In this review article, we argue that the transformations related to the modernisation of Portuguese society triggered by the implementation of democracy did not fully accommodate gender equality. In particular, when we consider the areas where the most progress has been made in keeping with a broadly shared urge for modernisation, education and science; whereas women have contributed to boosting the Portuguese population’s level of education, thus inverting the worst legacy of the dictatorship and developing scientific research, gender inequalities are still visible in highly qualified professions. Reviewing the results of studies from different professions, science, medicine and engineering, our analysis illustrates several factors that hinder not only the recognition of women’s competences and merit at work but also their career opportunities. Some of these factors are rooted in the type of gender ideology that was central to the propaganda of the dictatorship, thereby establishing continuity with the previous regime that seems particularly difficult to break in the absence of women’s voices to raise awareness on gender equality.

Отношение к будущей профессии у китайских студентов, обучающихся в России

Students are a special social group who strive to obtain higher education and master a highly qualified profession. The purpose of this study was to determine the attitude of Chinese students in Russia to their future profession. It aimed to compare the attitude to the future profession of 1st and 4th-year Chinese students studying in Russia and Chinese students studying in China. Additionally, we compared the attitude to the future profession of Chinese and Russian students. The study involved 720 full-time students of humanities at Henan University (China) and Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia (Russia). The methodology included the author’s questionnaire “Spheres of life”. Most students are satisfied with their chosen profession. The responses of Chinese students studying in Russia in the 1st year differ significantly. They are satisfied with their future profession only in 32% of cases. Chinese first-year students in Russia and especially in China have a higher readiness to enter the master’s programme than in the fourth year. On the contrary, Russian students are more willing to continue their master’s studies at the senior level. These results are explained by the high value of education in traditional Chinese culture and the desire of Chinese first-year students to fulfill their parents’ will. Later, life plans are adjusted. All students are also noted to be ready to work in their specialty, except for Chinese first-year students studying in Russia. It was revealed that the attitude to the profession of Chinese students differs from the attitude to the profession of Russian students. The identified differences are due to the adaptation difficulties of first-year students beginning their studies in a foreign country, as well as social and cultural adaptation. During their studies, Chinese students successfully overcome adaptation difficulties.

Determinants of the Choice of Job Search Channels by the Unemployed Using a Multivariate Probit Model.

We investigate factors affecting the job search channels (newspapers, agency, informal network, direct contact, internet) of unemployed individuals in Italy using a multivariate probit model. We separately analyse unemployed individuals who lost their job or who are entering the labour market for the first time (i.e., with or without previous job experience, respectively). We use cross-sectional microdata covering the 2014–2018 period. We do not find important differences in the determinants in common between unemployed individuals with and without previous job experience (such as, age, education, and citizenship). The main difference between the two samples is in the composition, with more young people in the latter group (mainly individuals in the school-to-work transition) than in the first one. We find that better-educated unemployed people have more of a multichannel attitude when searching for jobs than their counterparts. Moreover, for unemployed individuals with previous job experience, the characteristics of their last job play a crucial role in influencing the choice of search channel(s). For example, unemployed individuals from high-skilled professions (that typically require the employment of better-educated individuals) choose the internet with a higher probability than other channels, while those from low-skilled professions and with experience in manufacturing have a higher probability of considering employment agencies than those in qualified professions in commercial activities and services. We have assumed that the unobservable factors affecting the decision process of a multichannel job search (estimated through the pairwise correlation coefficients across the residuals of the models) are represented by personality features of an individual, such as motivation, self-control, and preferences. A strong, positive, and significant correlation is found between job searching through the internet and direct contact with firms, but with some spatial differences between macro-areas of the country.

Respeaking certification Bringing together training, research and practice

Research and training in respeaking are still lagging behind professional practice. One of the consequences of this lack of training opportunities is the UK government’s refusal, in 2016, to use the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) to provide for respoken subtitles, arguing that respeaking was not a qualified profession. In order to tackle this issue, the Galician Observatory for Media Accessibility set up LiRICS, the Live Respeaking International Certification Standard, which aims to set and maintain high international standards in the respeaking profession. In 2019, after assessing the online certification process proposed by LiRICS, the Department of Education in the UK concluded that it meets their requirements and that LiRICS-certified respeakers are eligible for Disabled Students’ Allowances funding. This article outlines, first, the current provision of respeaking training around the world and the assessments of live subtitling quality carried out to date, both of which inform the LiRICS online certification process presented here. The focus is then placed on the actual certification process, including a description of the tests, the platform used and the quality assurance process. This is followed by an analysis of the respeakers’ performance, which has been shown to be in line with current professional standards.

Present and Perspectives in the Teachers’ Continuous Professional Training in Romania

Complementing the initial training that provides the foundation for the professionalization of the teaching career, the teachers’ continuous professional development represents an area of analysis that has always been in the attention of the educational policy makers, at the level of all national education systems. In a study conducted at the European level (2007), concerning the concrete ways to achieve the continuous training of the teaching staff, it is noted that, although there are 28 different training systems as organizational manner, there are no major differences in functional terms. Also, in this context, a number of fundamental characteristics of the profession were identified; it represents a qualified profession, through university studies (in most cases), which involves the graduation of different programs of continuous professional development, a certain degree of mobility of teachers in the national and European space, as well as partnership relations between different institutions involved in initial and continuous training. The paper tries to illustrate several results gathered from the opinions of a Romanian group of teachers, about the effectiveness of the on-going training programs in Romania. At the same time, the purpose of the paper is to identify new ways of organizing and conducting those on-going training programs, in line with the views of direct beneficiaries and educational practices confirmed at the European level.

Job precariousness among lawyers in Spain

This article stems from an interest in discovering how working conditions have changed in qualified professions in Spain, concentrating on lawyers. Using a qualitative method, we have found significant sources of precariousness that are transforming the profession's ways. Throughout this article, light has been cast on the connections between the changing professional model of the lawyer's job over the past three decades and the emergence of precarious situations. Our findings highlight that there has been a transformation in the occupation of lawyers in Spain: income and professional careers are marked by extreme uncertainty, raising psychosocial risks.

Gender inequalities in highly qualified professions: A social psychological analysis

Research in social and political psychology contributes towards understanding the persistence of job market gender segregation prevailing in recent decades, the consequences for those involved and their reactions when having to cope with gender inequality. Within the framework of the literature on shared ideologies that justify and legitimize discrimination against women, this article focuses on Portugal and analyses the particular case of women in two highly qualified professions traditionally carried out by men – politics and medicine. Drawing on the results of quantitative and qualitative studies, our analytical approach demonstrates how while a majority of participants show awareness of the existence of gender inequality in these markedly masculine professions, meritocratic individualism and personal attributions to discrimination are the recurring explanations rather than any gender-based account. These results allow us to highlight the relevance of gender-based analysis as an ideology and furthermore to argue that ignoring this perspective not only diminishes individual responsibility for social change but also perpetuates gender asymmetries.

1149 A PROSPECTIVE STUDY OF SEXUAL FUNCTIONS IN HYPOSPADIACS OPERATED IN ADULTHOOD

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Hypospadiacs have been reported to be sexually less active, make their sexual debut later,have negative genital appraisal & less qualified profession than other men.Currently no such prospective study is reported.Our objective was to assess sexual functions of hypospadiacs operated in adulthood. METHODS: Sixty four adult operated hypospadiacs (mean age at evaluation 23 & at surgery 21 years) with twenty controls(mean age 22.8 years) operated for appendicitis & medical volunteers were evaluated prospectively to analyze sexual functions between 2006 to August 2011.Evaluation was done by history, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, type of surgery and questions in a proforma for sexual functions. RESULTS: Type of hypospadias were coronal 34,distal penile 11,mid shaft6,proximal penile 7, penoscrotal3,Perineal2 & MIP-1. Procedure done was TIP with Spongioplasty in 35, TIP with spongioplasty and dorsal dartos in 22, modified Duckett’s 3, and modified Duckett’s with TIP in 3. Associated anomalies were Cryptorchidism2, both atrophic testis1 right undescended testis-2 ectopic,absent kidney-1 each & poor secondary sexual characteristics-2. Age at first sexual contact was delayed in study group (by 18 years control 45%: study 15.92%) and sexual contact was lesser (control 95%: study 60.93%). Age at first erection noticed varied since childhood to 15 years with an average of (control 13.66: study 13.20). First emission was noticed at 13 to 17 years with an average of control 14.10: study 15.47; and by the age of 15 years 90% controls & 45% study patients had emission. Age at first masturbation was 13 to 18 years (average Control 13.90: study 15.59) and by the age of 15 years 90 % control & 60 % study patients had masturbation. Penile erection in study group was of grade IV in 56, III in 4, II in 3 and I in one whereas grade IV in all controls. Size of penis after surgery was perceived to be small in 12 patients (4 partners not satisfied). SHIM score was 21 in 22 out of 36 patients in study group & normal in all controls. In study group 34 (28 married) out of 39 who had sexual contact & 19 (14 married) controls were able to ejaculate into partner’s vagina with adequate sexual performance & satisfaction of both partners. CONCLUSIONS: Significant difference was seen in age at first sexual contact (p 0.01) & in number of subjects having sexual contact (p 0.001).Nocturnal emission and masturbation was delayed in the study group. Sexual dissatisfaction was seen in 13.15% patients (5.2% due to small penis)in the study group but overall sexual satisfaction of both partners was similar in both groups.

Women's Career Success and Work-life Adaptations in the Accountancy and Medical Professions in Britain

This article examines gendered career paths in two feminizing and highly qualified professions. Quantitative data show that in medicine the profession is internally segregated by sex, as women tend to opt for the family friendly but clinically inferior specialty of general practice. In accountancy internal segregation by sex is considerably less evident but women fail to rise through organizational hierarchies. Qualitative interviews with qualified doctors and accountants suggest that sex discrimination is to some extent still an issue but that the major factor underlying these different gendered career trajectories is that women still retain the major responsibility for domestic work and caring. They also suggest that doctors have been able to exercise more control over their working hours than accountants and that even when accountants work part-time, they work longer hours than contracted. Part-time work is also seen as seriously career-limiting. In our conclusions, we briefly examine the gender equality implications of these contrasting self-regulated and market-driven adaptations to occupational feminization.

Sexual and Social Life of Men Operated in Childhood for Hypospadias and Phimosis

Objective: Hypospadiacs have been reported to be sexually less active, make their sexual debut later, have more negative genital appraisal and have less qualified professions than other men. We studied whether the reported differences are due to circumcised–like penile appearance.Methods: We compared the social and sexual life of hypospadias patients to circumcised patients. A detailed questionnaire was mailed to 64 patients operated for hypospadias and to 64 age–matched patients circumcised for phimosis 18–31 years ago.Results: Fortysix (75.0%) hypospadiacs and 43 controls (67.2%) returned the questionnaire. Sexual life and success in life in general among hypospadiacs did not differ from those of circumcised patients. Hypospadiacs were markedly more dissatisfied with the result of the operation (33 vs. 5%). Ten hypospadiacs and one control were dissatisfied with the appearance of their penis (p<0.01). Thirty–seven hypospadiacs (80.4%) had voiding problems compared to 20 controls (46.5%) (p<0.01).Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that even patients with a less than perfect technical result are able to live a satisfactory sexual life and to succeed in life in general. Minor differences observed in sexual life between men operated for hypospadias and other men seem not to be due to the circumcised appearance of the penis even in cultures where circumcision is uncommon.

Women and Employment

Women and Employment

Ein neuer Expertentyp?

lt is likely that the external and internal differentiation of high level qualified service labor will have consequences for the employees concerned: For chances in their responsibilities, their organizational reference, their position in the market, but also for their professionally endemic thinking about the nature of 'technical progress'. lt is assumed that changes observable within engineering services reflect the development of highly qualified white collar labor in industrial organizations in general. If the 'service character' of these occupations is more and more typical for modern qualified work, the potential contradictions between orientation towards the market and orientation towards scientifically based professional 'identity' will grow - or end in an new service-oriented professional self-image which is highly functional for the interests of the modern capitalist enterprise. The crucial question will be: Which responses will enterprise policies on the one hand, unions on the other hand develop to integrale or represent the (career-oriented) interests of the majority, but also the interests of a (critical) minority of highly qualified employees? Members of this minority suffer under the strains between their organizational function in private enterprise and their professional (or personal) values on questions like the environment or technical and social progress. lt will - among other factors - depend on the responses to those aspirations whether the German unions will be able to integrale at least the critical, thus far unorganized potential of highly qualified professions. As a first step, the unions should address the scientifically educated employees simultaneously as experts and important partners of dialogue within 'risk society'.

Operated hypospadiacs: Late follow-up. Social, sexual, and psychological adaptation

Thirty-four adult men operated upon for hypospadias in childhood and 36 controls were examined by interview and psychological tests. During childhood hypospadiacs had enuresis, showed shyness, and were mobbed more often than controls. Hypospadiac's sexual debut, but not the first ejaculation, was delayed. Most hypospadiacs had a satisfactory sexual life, albeit restricted to fewer partners. Socially, hypospadiacs showed normal adjustment but had less qualified professions than controls. Hypospadiacs showed a more doubtful sexual identity and greater castration anxiety combined with lesser utilization of cognitive and emotional resources than controls. Early operated hypospadiacs had a more infantile sexual identity than those operated later (less than 5 yr).

Social and Sexual Adjustment of Men Operated for Hypospadias During Childhood: a Controlled Study

In a controlled study 34 men operated on for hypospadias in childhood and 36 control subjects were interviewed concerning their sexual and social adjustment, which at the time of the interviews was shown to be virtually similar in the 2 groups. Most of the hypospadiacs had stable sexual relationships but they had been sexually less active than the controls. The sexual debut of the hypospadiacs was retarded although the age at first ejaculation was the same as for the controls. The hypospadiacs had less qualified professions compared to the controls. The results indicate the possibility of operated hypospadiacs being psychologically different from other men. Fertility seems to be equal in the 2 groups and even patients with severe forms of hypospadias reported fertility. The issue of optimal ambition in surgical repair is discussed in view of the fact that even patients with a less than perfect technical result are able to live a satisfactory sexual life.