Qualified Workforce Research Articles

Critically Discuss the Policy and Research Evidence Which Examines the Role of Men in Early Childhood Education and Care

Attracting more men to balance the predominantly female workforce is one of the key issues facing the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector. This research critically discusses the main debates regarding the issue of gendered ECEC sector, including the core concepts of childhood, masculinity and ECEC, followed by the debates about the influences of more male practitioners on both children and ECEC workforce. Although there exist some arguments against the hypothesis about men’s benefits on children and ECEC workforce, the need to get men involved in the lives of young children is reflected by government policies across different countries, such as recruitment and retention initiatives for male preschool teachers. However, most of these strategies to remove the barriers male teachers encountered, and to incorporate men and fathers, received negative results. Therefore, by building upon the need to enhance the holistic quality of ECEC workforce, new perspectives, especially from children’s perceptions, on how to change the gender imbalance in ECEC are recommended, including both the top-down policy and bottom-up strategy.

Implementation of the X-Means Algorithm on Unemployment Data in West Java

The unemployment rate is a serious issue in many countries, including Indonesia, with impacts that encompass psychological pressure, declining living standards, reduced national income, and diminished workforce quality. High unemployment rates can lead to poverty, resource wastage, and have implications for a country's economic growth. Additionally, inadequate workforce quality is a determining factor in unemployment rates. The objective of this study is to classify unemployment data, specifically in West Java Province, using the X-Means algorithm based on educational levels and districts/cities, in order to examine the fluctuations in unemployment. The research findings indicate fluctuations in the number of unemployed individuals in West Java Province from 2011 to 2022. The low unemployment rate in West Java Province experienced a 66.7% increase in 2014-2015, remained stable in 2017-2019, while the high unemployment rate decreased by 80% in 2014-2015, remained stable in 2017-2019, but increased by 20% in 2020-2022. Furthermore, Bogor Regency consistently recorded the highest unemployment rate in each cluster, with a total of 135,000 unemployed individuals in Bogor Regency in 2017-2019, while the education level with the highest unemployment rate was junior high school graduates

Pockets of promise: exploring innovation and complexity of remote ECEC service delivery in Australia

IntroductionThe existing funding architectures for early childhood education and care (ECEC) services in Australia are incompatible with the needs of remote and First Nations communities. The Australian system relies on a market-based model for ECEC – characterized by demand-led funding mechanisms where funding flows to users to choose what service to use. This model is not viable or sustainable in remote and First Nations communities. In this paper, we ask what we can learn from alternative models of ECEC that serve remote, largely Indigenous communities.MethodsThis research is based on interviews with 10 key stakeholders. Potential participants were identified using three selection criteria which established their expertise in relation to: advocacy and experience in delivering ECEC services in remote locations (evident in relevant parliamentary reviews and inquiries), in-depth knowledge about First Nations perspectives about ECEC models, and broader understandings of the ECEC system in Australia. Three themes were explored in the interviews: (1) funding context (including impact of recent changes to Budget Based Funding, and role of philanthropy in the ECEC sector); (2) Quality and regulatory context (including workforce challenges and cultural considerations); and (3) Future research (including research gaps, opportunities, and considerations). The study design and analysis of data was guided by policy studies frameworks that advocate for collaboration and coordination among researchers and stakeholders in order to address complex problems.ResultsAnalysis of the interviews illuminated the complex structural and cultural elements shaping the design of, and access to, ECEC in remote communities. Stakeholders argued that the ECEC system should be universal in that it delivers services that meet the needs of young children and their families. This requires the development of a definition of ‘universality’ that enables communities to define their own ECEC needs and the types of services best suited to meet those needs. Stakeholders’ views about the importance of community-led design and delivery highlighted the need to align structural and cultural aspects of quality standards and workforce needs, and also to strengthen consultation with First Nations organisations to better understand community-specific solutions.DiscussionThe paper outlines the complexities and nuances of ECEC service delivery in remote communities. The findings are intended to foster discussion about current initiatives, challenges, and futures possibilities for ECEC in remote communities in Australia. These findings concur with other research that argues for community led service delivery and for stronger equity-based partnerships between First Nations and non-First Nations researchers and organizations.

Identifying the skills requirements related to industrial symbiosis and energy efficiency for the European process industry

The need for sustainable production, efficient use of resources, energy efficiency and reduction in CO2 emission are currently the main drivers that are transforming the European process industry besides Industry 4.0. Since the potential of industrial symbiosis (IS) and energy efficiency (EE) about environmental, economic and social issues has been discovered, the interest in them is gradually increasing. The funding and investments for IS and EE are highly encouraged by the European Commission, while more and more policies as well as research and innovation (R&I) activities are initiated to promote European industry’s advancement towards a circular economy and CO2 neutrality. The aim is to maintain the competitiveness and economic progress of the industry. The key to build a competitive and sustainable European manufacturing industry is to create a competent, highly qualified workforce that is capable of handling the new business models coming with IS and EE requirements and digital technologies. We can generate this by identifying the skills needs and upskilling and reskilling the current workforce accordingly by delivering the suitable training programmes. Therefore, this work identifies the most critical skills needs related to IS and EE for six different energy-intensive sectors (steel, ceramic, water, cement, chemical and minerals) in Europe. The effect of the digital transformation on the skills needs is as well discussed. The identified skills are aimed to be included in vocational education and training (VET), tertiary education and other kinds of training curricula. We also identify the cross-sectoral most representative job profiles linked with EE and IS in these sectors and demonstrate the methodology for the selection process. Furthermore, we present a key tool for identifying the most significant current and future skills requirements. Also, we define the critical skill gaps of the European process industry using this tool. Once the skill gaps are defined, they can be reduced by delivering well-developed continuous trainings. We also link our work to the respectable ESCO, the European Classification of skills, competences, qualifications and occupations, to attain a common ground with other studies and frameworks, minimise the complexity and contribute to their work. Our work is developed to be an academic and industrial guideline to prepare well-developed training programmes to deliver the needed skills.

Professionalization and Professionalism: Quality Improvement in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

AbstractInternationally, professionalization has become a key policy strategy targeting quality improvement in early childhood education and care (ECEC), utilizing top-down managerial strategies including implementation of quality standards and increased workforce qualifications. Set against this backdrop, this study explored educators’ accounts of their professional status and professionalism in their work. Data were collected from a representative sample of Australian educators (n = 98) participating in a national ECEC workforce study. Educator accounts were inductively and deductively coded, while statistical analysis examined association of codes with educator personal and professional characteristics. Educators overwhelmingly named their work as a profession, with three categories of explanation: purpose (educating children), qualification, and public opinions. However, analysis of educator accounts of their work practices, drawing on Moss’s (2006) understandings of the ECEC workforce, found that less than half of the educators presented their roles as other than technical or nurturing/laboring. Degree qualified teachers were more likely than less qualified educators to define professionalization in terms of purpose and professionalism in terms of autonomous decisions based on expert knowledge. Policy or practice: The study provides grassroots perspectives on professionalization and professionalism in ECEC and draws attention to three areas of misalignment between current policy and educators’ views and practices that require attention.

Upaya Guru Menciptakan Lingkungan Yang Nyaman Melalui Manajemen Budaya Sekolah Yang Positif

Management of the learning process based on quality capacity is the responsibility and function of school leadership. The stages of planning, implementation, assessment and follow-up efforts must take precedence in the management process in schools. The management process must be carried out properly by qualified educators so that they can guide students to find their competence as a whole. This research was written with the aim of examining the issue of managing school culture which demands the attention of all stakeholders. Creating a comfortable learning environment is influenced by the quality standards of school culture management. The research method in this article is descriptive qualitative. The results of this study indicate that there is a positive correlation between the quality of the teacher workforce in terms of planning, evaluating, and using student learning outcomes. Good and careful management is a must for every learning leader as the main implementer which is effectively reflected in building consistency in the implementation of regular school culture management.

Proposed Marketing Strategy to Increase Service Sales Using the SWOT-Analytic Hierarchy Process Method (Case Study at The Ganteng Barber, Langsa City)

The Handsome Barber is one of the barbershop businesses in Langsa City which was founded by Mr. Musliadi, in 2020 The Handsome Barber was established and had only been running for about 1 year, having its address at Jalan Ahmad Yani. The problems experienced by The Handsome Barber are the ups and downs of the number of customers using The Handsome Barber services every month and the planned targets are not being achieved. The aim of this research is to identify opportunities, threats, strengths, and weaknesses in The Ganteng Barber and create marketing strategies to improve the marketing system. The method used is SWOT and AHP. The results and discussion show that the company's internal and external factors identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats with a weighted score of Strengths 0.240, Weaknesses 0.208 Opportunities 0.315, and Threats 0.237. The marketing strategy in improving the marketing system at The Ganteng Barber is the S-O (Strength-Opportunity) Strategy to maintain a quality workforce, the W-O (Weakness-Opportunity) Strategy to maintain quality and good relationships with customers, the S-T (Strength-Threat) Strategy to empower a skilled workforce Experienced and W-T (Weakness-Threat) Strategy Increasing prices must be matched with quality. The conclusion of this study is based on the SWOT analysis Cartesius diagram, The Handsome Barber is in quadrant (I) where the quadrant is a good situation for the company to take advantage of its strengths to exploit existing opportunities.

Potential Development Strategy for the Shipbuilding and Ship Repair in Baltics

This research is focused on the shipbuilding and ship repair industries in Latvia. The main purpose of this manuscript is to investigate all possible options to further develop the shipbuilding and ship repair industries in Latvia Initially, a brief overview of Baltics and of Latvia, with its biggest shipbuilding companies and its possibilities, are depicted in detail. The analysis is developed with the help of SWOT analysis and a Risk assessment matrix to find Latvia’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, then to identify all possible risks in order to identify potential issues that could negatively impact key business initiatives or critical projects, and to develop a marketing strategy. It is concluded that Latvian shipbuilding can be benefited by i) its strategic location in Baltics, ii) the highly qualified workforce employed in Latvian shipyards, iii) the certified naval expertise of the shipbuilding facilities. At the same time, the external environment and the regional competition is harsh and some points are suggested for Latvian shipbuilding to survive and possibly flourish over the next years, such as: i) repair the technologically obsolete equipment and facilities to be able to satisfy the present market trends, ii) incorporate and utilize new materials and technologies, iii) give incentives to qualified natives that went abroad for employment to similar facilities to return to Latvia and utilize their accumulated experience, thus solving the issue of the declining workforce on the sector and iv) specialize in some aspects of shipbuilding, such as luxury ships and ice class, to secure a more specialised and dedicated market.

Meningkatkan Kreativitas dan Minat Belajar Anak-Anak di Sekitar Kantor Camat Batang Onang dengan Belajar Bersama dan Membuat Keterampilan

The author conducted practicum II at the Batang Onang Sub-District Office, North Padang Lawas. The Field Work Practice aims to improve students' skills in developing mindsets, adding ideas and insights so that later they will produce a skilled and quality workforce. Apart from that, street vendors are one of the embodiments of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, namely Service. Through these street vendors, it is hoped that students will be able to make a good contribution to society. The second practicum conducted by the author was to examine the problems experienced by children in the village of Pasarmatanggor. This paper intends to review the problem of the lack of interest in learning and children's creativity and the solution. Interest in learning is a very important factor in the success of children. Because, the role of interest is very big influence on a person's willingness to accept and perform an action. In addition, children must be trained to be creative. Through the creative process, children will gain confidence thanks to their achievements in getting things done. This provision can help them form imaginative and inventive mindsets in the future.

Effect of ascorbic acid on collagen and some inflammatory mediators in rats

Musculoskeletal injuries as a kind of trauma that the human body is exposed to, adversely affect the quality of life and workforce of individuals due to restriction of movement function. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dose-dependent ascorbic acid (AA) administration on the repair process after gastrocnemius muscle injury in rats. In this study, 5-month-old 66 male Wistar Albino rats were used and rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of 11 each [control, muscle injury, healthy (with 5 mg/10 mg/kg/day AA-treated group), injury (with 5 mg/10 mg/kg/day AA-treated group)]. A linear incision was made in the gastrocnemius muscle of thirty-three animals included in the muscle injury groups. AA (5-10 mg/kg/day) was administered to the four groups intraperitoneally just after surgery once a day. Animals were sacrificed twenty-one days later. Blood and tissue samples were used for cytokine, collagen, and histological measurements. It was found that a dose of 5 mg/kg/day AA administration reduced serum IL-6 and muscle tissue TNF-α levels, and increased liver tissue IL-10 levels. Muscle tissue collagen levels were not statistically different between the groups in parallel with our histological results. In our study, it was demonstrated that vitamin C has effects on inflammatory mediators during muscle tissue repair to explain the mechanism detailed molecular analyzes are needed.

Competencies of the UK nursing and midwifery workforce to mainstream genomics in the National Health Service: the ongoing gap between perceived importance and confidence in genomics.

The United Kingdom is recognised worldwide as a leader in genomics. The use of genomic technologies in the National Health Service (NHS) is expected to deliver faster and more accurate diagnoses, supporting personalized treatments to improve patient outcomes. The ambition of embedding genomic medicine in the diagnostic pathway requires involvement of the front-line clinical workforce, known as 'mainstreaming'. Nurses and midwives are the largest professionally qualified workforce in the National Health Service thus, it is anticipated that they will play key roles in mainstreaming. This study investigated the level of competence/confidence of practicing nurses and midwives to support mainstreaming and their perception of the importance of genomics in delivery of patient care. A literature review of genetics/genomics competency frameworks, semi structured interviews of lead nurses and stakeholders were conducted to identify relevant competencies needed for mainstreaming. These were then used to survey four cohorts of nurses (n = 153) across England in four consecutive years (2019-22). The confidence level of these professionals in all aspects of genomics was 2.07 ± 0.47 measured on a 5-point Likert scale (1"Low confidence"; 5 "High confidence"). Intriguingly, these professionals all appreciated the importance of genomics for their patient care (4.01 ± 0.06). Whilst the importance scores increased, the confidence scores declined at the time when major genomic transformation took place in the NHS (e.g.: launch of the Genomic Medicine Service, the National Genomic Test Directory). To bridge this gap, relevant genomic education can play key roles. However, nurses and midwives were found to be grossly underrepresented in formal genomic education courses offered by Health Education England Genomics Education Programme since 2014. This may result from the lack of direct applicability of the currently offered courses for their practice and role. Thematic analysis revealed that nurses and midwives wish to support their patients by providing more information on their condition, inheritance, and treatment options in combination with the use of relevant genetic counselling skills. This study identified easy to follow competencies for embedding genomics into routine clinical care. We propose a training programme that addresses the gap that nurses and midwives currently have, to enable them to harness genomic opportunities for patients and services.

Psychometric validation of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised Short Form.

To develop a parsimonious, shortened version of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised for perioperative nurses to complete as part of their specialty training while retaining good psychometric properties. A longitudinal online survey was adopted. A national sample of perioperative nurses from Australia completed an online survey at two different time points 6 months apart between February and October 2021. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted for item reduction and construct validity, while criterion, convergent validity and internal consistency were examined. Usable data for psychometric assessment were obtained from 485 operating room nurses at time 1 and 164 nurses at time 2. The original 40-item revised scale was reduced to an 18-item measure, maintaining its six domains. Cronbach's alpha for the 18-item scale was .92 at time 1 and .90 at time 2. Scale validation demonstrated moderate to weak positive relationships in perceived competence scores relative to general self-efficacy, years of operating room experience, postgraduate education and recency of training. Results suggest the 18-item Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised Short Form has initial robust psychometric properties and may be implemented in clinical settings as part of perioperative transition-to-practice, orientation programs and yearly professional development reviews. This short-form scale can help prepare perioperative nurses to demonstrate clinical competence in a climate of increasing professional demands using a valid measure of competence required in clinical practice. Short and validated scales of perioperative competence are needed in clinical practice. Assessment of practising operating room nurses' perceived competence is essential in quality care provision, workforce planning and human resource management. This study provides an 18-item measure of the previously validated 40-item Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised. This scale can help provide an option for future testing of perioperative nurses' competence in clinical or research settings. Perioperative nurses were involved in the design of the study, particularly in the assessment of validation of the tools used in the study.

ADAPTIVE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN CONFRONTATION OF GLOBALIZATION'S CHALLENGES

Globalization has created a dynamic and complex business environment, requiring organizations to adjust to unpredictable and rapid change. In this context, adaptive HR management is essential for sustaining the success and competitiveness of the organization. The method of research employed is a literature review, which entails gathering and analyzing literature on adaptive HR management and the challenges of globalization. The research findings indicate that adaptive human resource management necessitates the use of change-responsive strategies and practices, such as in recruitment, employee development, performance management, diversity management, technology use, effective leadership, and adaptive change management. This study highlights the advantages of adaptive human resource management, including increased employee productivity, workforce quality, organizational adaptability in the face of change, greater employee satisfaction, and competitive advantage. The practical implication of this study is the significance of organizations implementing adaptive HR strategies and practices in response to globalization's challenges.

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ЦИФРОВЫХ ДВОЙНИКОВ В СЕЛЬСКОМ ХОЗЯЙСТВЕ

In our rapidly changing world it is of the utmost importance to react quickly to changes and adapt to the new environment in order to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. With the development of Industry 4.0 the implementation of digital technologies is one of the main ways to increase and maximize the efficiency of a company and increase the output. For many countries nowadays agriculture is still one of the leading economic sectors, however, agriculture faces a number of problems such as inefficient use of finite resources, some diseases and deaths of plants and animals, the lack of qualified workforce and soil deterioration. These problems may be solved by active implementation of information technologies which help to increase the efficiency of a company, optimize costs and maximize productivity. Digital twins are actively used in different spheres nowadays, one of them is agriculture. The article describes in detail the main principles and features of digital twins as well as their functionality and advantages for a company. Based on the analysis of literary sources on this topic, statistics and real examples of implementing digital twins by companies, this article focuses on the main problems of agriculture, suggests ways to solve them, and analyzes the usage of digital twins in practice.

Employability management in adult education and training

Romania's new Higher Education Law from 2023 aims to increase the number of graduates of adult training programs. The law also introduces the international standard for education and international standards for professional training of adults, while Romania's system of education and professional training is in line with the requirements of the labor market. As far as the equivalence of the study programs is concerned, we can no longer say that this criterion is also met because until this law was passed, we would not have implemented ISCED, but we have the fields of studies promoted by the Government Decision, that is impossible to be assimilated internationally. We have over 6,000 bachelor and master programs related to about 1,500 occupations in the Classification of Occupations from Romania (COR) and the classification of European Skills, Competences and Occupations (ESCO), which is unimaginable in European countries. More than half of these should be at most postgraduate programs for adults. Study programs remain a problem in equating studies, especially in the technical field, except for European regulated professions and IT where the equating is automatic. Passing post-graduate professional training for adults on either occupational or qualification standards will largely solve this impasse in the next five/six years. It makes sense to analyze employability as we have done here in case of increased mobility of Romanian qualified workforce on the European labor market, but according to the signed accession treaty, it must be understood that this does not come automatically, but as we have seen there are certain obligations and commitments of the Member State, conditions to be ensured so that it is as easy as possible for the graduate to be employed at the level held and the graduated field of study.

A proposed solution to enhance the labor productivity at a thermal power company

The issue of improving the quality of human resources, including technical workers, the largest electricity industry's largest workforce, has become a top priority and a decisive factor in the development of the power industry. This study aims to assess the current quality status of technical workers. The research results show that, in general, the quality of the current technical workforce is not high and uneven, not meeting the company's requirements now and in the future. The study also gave some specific solutions to improve the quality of staff to meet the development requirements of thermal power plants from now to 2025.

Analysis of the Factors Affecting Poverty in Padasari Village

This study aims to determine the factors that cause poverty in Padasari Village, Cimalaka District, and Sumedang Regency, separately or simultaneously. This research uses quantitative methods with multiple descriptive and linear approaches. Determination of the sample in this study using the Slovin model. Data processing techniques are carried out through validity and reliability tests. Data were analyzed using the SPSS application. The results of the study show that if not adequately managed, natural resources can have a negative impact on poverty levels, human resources involve the quality and quantity of a region's workforce, and human resources who do not have access to education, skills, and training will be difficult for them to obtain welfare.

Solutions for Developing a Team of Specialized Organizers and Officials in Public Universities in Vietnam

Developing a team of specialized organizers and officials in public universities is a necessary requirement in Vietnam to improve the quality of the university education workforce in response to fundamental and comprehensive educational innovation requirements. Based on theoretical research and a survey of the current team, the article proposes six solutions for developing the team of specialized organizers and officials in public universities: 1) Organizing to raise awareness of the necessity of developing the team of specialized organizers and officials in public universities for managerial and leadership staff; 2) Improving the planning and development of the team of specialized organizers and officials in public universities according to a competency-based approach; 3) Perfecting the mechanism for recruitment and utilization of the team of specialized organizers and officials based on a competency-based approach; 4) Organizing training to enhance the capacity of the team of specialized organizers and officials to meet job position requirements; 5) Developing a standard set of criteria to evaluate the performance of specialized organizers and officials in public universities based on job position approach; 6) Establishing a motivational working environment to develop the capacity of the team of specialized organizers and officials in public universities.

Exploring An Approach Towards Measuring Student Learning Outcomes: A Case Study For A Pre-Service Teacher Education Programme at A University In Vietnam

Higher education in South-East Asia as elsewhere in the world has been under transformations as it aims to meet increasing demands for quality workforce to fuel the economic growth and global integration. Higher education institutions are striving for quality of student learning and measures have been taken, be they quality assurance initiatives or responsible educational practices, to ultimately demonstrate their accountability towards their educational outputs – the achievement of their student learning outcomes. This paper presents an approach to measuring the attainment of student learning outcomes for a pre-service teacher education programme at a university in Vietnam. It shows attempts being made to an assessment plan to determine whether the intended learning outcomes have been achieved and to what extent. The process involves establishing a set of performance indicators (PIs) which well correspond to the set learning outcomes and identifying various types of direct student achievement data being collected and benchmarked against the set targets The findings allow some generalisations to be drawn on the overall performance of student learning with certain aspects being reported to outperform their counterparts in the programme, especially in the outcomes towards lifelong learning, personal and professional development. The paper also suggests the use of indirect evidence collected via surveys to stakeholders to allow a more comprehensive picture of the performance of student learning from which better-informed decisions could be made on changes in curricular design and delivery.

An Analytical Study on Factor Affecting Retention of Employees in Medical Professionals

The problems are exacerbated by discrepancies noted in the public and private sector Hospitals, such as service quality levels, pricing concerns, and workforce differences, among others, which cause a disparity in service quality and utilisation of services. The healthcare industry is India is a rapidly growing sector, with a large and diverse population that requires medical services, The Indian healthcare system is a mix of public and private healthcare with the Government providing healthcare services through a network of public hospitals and clinics.