Skill Mismatch Research Articles

Weaving gaps in garments education technology: Crafting a skill-based E-toolkit based on Taba's curriculum development model

The study aims to aid in resolving the gap of skills mismatch between workplace competency standards and the actual skills needed. An e-toolkit was developed to address this gap. A mixed method research design was used in this study that includes two large Tech-Voc schools offering garments education technology (GET). The researchers used a checklist and an interview to identify the problems encountered by the students and the industry managers/owners during the work immersion (WI). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and narrative analysis. The findings of the study show that the most common problems encountered by the students during the WI program are: 1) lack of practice on how to draft patterns; and 2) difficulty in understanding the procedures for operating various garment equipment. As to the problems encountered by the industry managers/owners during the WI program, these include the following: 1) the students’ lack of know-how in drafting patterns; and 2) their continuous dependence on asking their teacher for help when they encounter problems. In terms of the type of intervention that could be used to address the gap, the majority of the students, teachers, and industry partners ranked the development of a skill-based material resource as the top priority. The result on the content validity of the material, as assessed by experts, was given a rating of 3.84 out of 4.00. Overall the material is considered to be highly valid (3.92 out of 4.00), as evaluated by the partner industry representatives. The acceptability of the e-toolkit was evaluated to be highly acceptable with a general mean rating of 3.88 (out of 4.00). With these findings, this research study concluded that the developed e-toolkit could certainly address the skills deficit exhibited by the GET students during their WI program, as the lessons are skills-oriented and industry-responsive.

Integrating Big Data and Blockchain for Evaluating the Impact of Curriculum Deficiency on Labour Market Preparedness

This research addresses the pressing issue of skills mismatch in Nigeria’s labor market, particularly affecting graduates in science and technology fields. With youth unemployment rates ranging from 11.7% to 36.5%, it is imperative to bridge the gap between educational curricula and industry demands. This study proposed an innovative tool to perform labor market demand analysis and curriculum gap assessments by utilizing blockchain, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics. By collecting and analyzing data from diverse job portals, the tool aims to provide real-time insights into skills required by employers. Additionally, blockchain technology ensures secure and verifiable credentials for graduates. This research seeks to empower graduates and educational institutions, contributing to sustainable economic growth in Nigeria.

Determinants of education-job vertical mismatch in urban Ghana

The paper explores the determinants of education-job vertical mismatch in urban Ghana. It uses cross sectional data from the World Bank Skills Toward Employment and Productivity (STEP) surveys of working age urban population and applies the self-assessment method of measuring the incidence of education-job mismatch. The study employs the method of multinomial logit estimation technique to ascertain whether over and undereducated individuals possess a relatively worse bundle of skills than workers who are adequately matched to their jobs in terms of formal education. It identifies gender, marital status, education, skills, occupation and time-to-proficiency as significant determinants of mismatch. The study adduces evidence to the transient nature of mismatch as reflected in time-to-proficiency's negative relationship with overeducation and positive link with undereducation. Given the competitiveness of the national and global economic environment, the study provides some policy thoughts towards addressing challenges of skill mismatch.

IMPACT OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC POLICIES ON THE FUNCTIONING OF TRADE UNIONS IN INDIAN PUBLIC SECTOR ENTERPRISES

The impact of global economic policies on trade unions within India's public sector enterprises (PSEs), analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data to understand how globalization, privatization, and labor reforms have transformed union dynamics. Historically, Indian trade unions played a crucial role in advocating for workers' rights and were deeply integrated into PSEs, especially during India's state-led economic model. However, liberalization reforms introduced in the 1990s have redefined labor relations, reducing union bargaining power due to market-driven policies and privatization pressures. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, collecting quantitative data from surveys of 600 union members across PSE sectors and qualitative insights from interviews with union leaders, public sector managers, and policymakers. Quantitative findings indicate a 37.5% decline in union membership from 1990 to 2020, underscoring the adverse effects of global policies on union strength and worker protections. Regression analysis reveals a significant negative correlation between economic liberalization and union influence, reflecting increased job insecurity and skill mismatches due to automation and privatization. Qualitatively, thematic analysis of interviews reveals adaptive strategies adopted by unions, including reskilling initiatives, digital mobilization, and partnerships with global unions. These strategies underscore unions' shift from traditional collective bargaining to a broader focus on worker empowerment and skills development. The study concludes that while global economic policies challenge trade unions, they also present opportunities for strategic adaptation. Policymakers are encouraged to collaborate with unions to develop inclusive policies that balance economic growth with labor rights, fostering sustainable industrial relations. This research contributes to the discourse on labor resilience in a globalized economy, offering recommendations for unions and policymakers to navigate economic transformations effectively.

The Utilisation of Education and Skills: Non-Pecuniary Consequences Among Graduates

In this study, an attempt has been made to estimate the incidences of the job mismatch and its determinants in Pakistan. This study has divided the job mismatch into three categories: qualification-job mismatch, skill mismatch and field of study mismatch. The primary dataset has been used in which employed graduates of the formal sector have been targeted. The paper has also measured the qualification-job mismatch by three approaches, and found that about one-third of the graduates have been facing qualification-job mismatch. Similarly, more than one-fourth of the graduates are mismatched in skills, about half of them are over-skilled and the rest are under-skilled. The analysis also shows that 11.3 percent of the graduates have irrelevant, and 13.8 percent have slightly relevant jobs to their field of study. The analysis reveals that over-qualified and over-skilled graduates are less satisfied, while under-qualified and under-skilled graduates are more satisfied with their current jobs. A similar situation has been observed in case of the field of study mismatch, where both the moderate and complete fields of study matched graduates are more satisfied than the mismatched ones. The job search behaviour is positively associated with the level of education. Over-qualification has a positive impact, while under-qualification has a negative effect to search for another job. A good match between field of study and current job reduces the likelihood of intention to quit the job. JEL Classification: I23, I24, J21, J24 Keywords: Education and Inequality, Higher Education, Human Capital, Labour Market

Mismatch in Supply and Demand of Building Surveying Graduates’ Skills: A Triangulation Perspective

Themismatch in the supply and demand of graduates is fast becoming a central issue for employee performance nowadays. A primary concern of this issue is a result of a higher competence demanded by employers, the change in the industry, competition among graduates, and new global economic practices. Enabling industries to lead curriculum development is one of the initiatives in enhancing the quality of the programme to improve graduate employability and producing quality technical and vocational education and training (TVET) graduates. Despite the various models that have been employed towards individual career development, there are problems of job skills mismatch and the lack of qualified graduates with technical and non-technical skills. Thus, this study attempts to clarify a mismatch in the supply and demand of building surveying graduates' skills from the perspectives of employers, lecturers, and the students. This study investigates building surveying academicians and the industry’s perspective regarding building surveying graduates’ performance, as well as to identify students’ awareness towardsthe current industry demand. Data for this study was collected using a qualitative method approach that involved a semi-structured interview with 10 building surveying students, 5 lecturers, and 5 building surveyor practitioners; the non-probability sampling design that was used in this study was based on the snowball sampling technique, and acontent analysis approach had been employed in the analysis of the data using NVivo 11 software. The findings indicate that there is a mismatch in the supply and demand of building surveying graduates’ skills. This study offers an important insight into the building surveying programme towards the improvement of the programme’s syllabus and its learning outcomes. The study suggests that building surveying graduates should acquire and demonstrate both technical and non-technical skills that are demanded by the industry. Further research is suggested to identify the competency level among entry-level building surveyor graduates in real working practices.

Investigating proactive measures towards MET development with respect to 4IR

The increasing technological advancement in the maritime industry imposed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) contributes significantly to changing the nature of jobs, which according to the World Economic Forum, might lead to massive job losses owing to either redundancy or skills mismatch. Nevertheless, the maritime workforce can endure the adverse effects of this transformation by adopting proactively responsive measures for boosting the potential role of seafarers through sustaining an appropriate level of Maritime Education and Training (MET) that comprehends the dynamic evolution of the industry and addresses its future needs. Despite the fact that the IMO has taken several global initiatives in support of the 4IR, it appears that further measures are still urgently required. This implies obligations upon both the national maritime authorities and the maritime educational organizations to tackle this challenge. It is well acknowledged that the primary responsibility of MET Institutions is to equip graduates with future competencies and skills needed for employment. Such duty involves a set of challenges that the MET system needs to address effectively in order to continue delivering a relevant education to the current technological revolution. This research aims to demonstrate indicative examples of global proactive measures adopted at international, national and institutional levels in addition to future skills requirements concerning 4IR. The research concludes with a key approach to the transformational strategy for enabling MET Institutions to maintain the sustainable development of MET Keywords: MET, Maritime Industry, 4IR, Seafarers, Competences, Measures.

Determinants of school to work transition and COVID-19

PurposeThis is Part 1 of the two special issues on the topic, “School to work transition around the world – the effect of the pandemic recession.” The first part focuses on the determinants of the school-to-work transition (STWT) and the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on the young worker and their response to uncertain labor market conditions. The second issue will explore the country-specific experiences around the globe in tackling the problem of a smooth STWT. The purpose of this introductory article is to elaborate on the transition of young workers in the labor market. Discussion on the status of various indicators of the youth labor market (unemployment, underemployment and not in employment, education and training [NEET]) is also integrated. The determining factors of school-to-work transition (STWT) and the role of technical and vocational institutions and universities are analyzed. Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 on the labor market is also evaluated. After the pandemic, there was a dreadful change in the job market; this study dives into those diverse factors and carves out the multiple impacts on youth unemployment.Design/methodology/approachThe study analyses relevant literature on STWT, NEET and COVID-19 implications for the labor market, based on the other papers in this special issue. Using the review method, the authors identified similar research articles and reports which helped in strengthening the study’s argument. The primary focus of the study was on the smooth transition of young workers in the labor market and the impact of the pandemic on youth unemployment. Hence, literature supported the authors in giving the justifications from various economies and societies.FindingsThe paper finds that youth worldwide have suffered from the repercussions of COVID-19, especially in their early career (STWT). Skill mismatch, underemployment, job losses, salary cut downs, health issues, vocational education importance, vulnerable employment, etc. were some of the significant impacts the authors identified by analyzing the various reports and papers. Furthermore, this paper also discusses the role of active labor market policies and hiring incentives for promoting youth employment.Social implicationsThe paper finds that the times ahead are challenging ones. There is a dearth of productive job opportunities due to slow economic growth. The unemployment rate among youth and adults is high, and labor markets have become more competitive. The young generation is now left with no choice but to upgrade and improve their skill set or some other expertise. On the one hand, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and universities need to enhance their marketable knowledge and skills, and on the other hand, there is a need for active labor market policies to encourage their participation in the labor markets.Originality/valueThis paper strongly contributes to highlighting the professional and societal hit backs faced due to the aftermath of COVID-19. The study summarizes the specific details of STWT and employment issues faced by youth in various parts of the world.

Wage Cyclicality and Labor Market Sorting

This paper uses a measure of skill mismatch to separate wage flexibility from confounding variation in wages driven by differences in job quality over the business cycle. I first show that the high cyclicality of job switchers' wages goes beyond cyclical movements in skill mismatch. Then I uncover large differences in wage cyclicality across the skill mismatch distribution. Among incumbent workers, wages are acyclical in good matches but procyclical in poor matches, in particular for overqualified workers. (JEL E32, J24, J31, J41)

THE INFLUENCE OF INTERNAL AUDIT, RISK MANAGEMENT, WHISTLEBLOWING SYSTEM AND BIG DATA ANALYTICS ON THE FINANCIAL CRIME BEHAVIOR PREVENTION

This study provides a critical review of the literature that examines and analyses how Fraud Prevention mediates the Effect of Internal Audit, Risk Management, Whistle Blowing System and Big Data Analytics on the Prevention of Financial Crime Behaviour. The problem discussed in this study is the limited strategic formulation in risk management, internal audit, whistleblowing system and big data analytics for early detection for fraud prevention and prevention of financial crime behavior in Indonesia, especially the problem of fraud that occurs in the Sumatra Regional Government, namely in Aceh, North Sumatra, Riau, Kepulauan Riau, South Sumatra, Bangka Belitung, Jambi, West Sumatra, Bengkulu and Lampung. Various kinds of scientific studies that have been carried out provide clues that the skills mismatch on the impact of fraud and financial crime behavior is still a fundamental polemic that will continue to hamper the productivity and competitiveness of various economic and industrial sectors in Regional Governments in Indonesia. To prepare for the emerging discourse, this research refers to 90 articles published in leading academic journals, discussing related topics from the early 1990s to 2021. Therefore, the formulation of the problem in this study: (1) How does Internal Audit influence prevention fraud, (2) How does Risk Management influence fraud prevention, (3) How does Whistleblowing system influence fraud prevention, (4) How big data analytics influence fraud prevention, (5) How fraud prevention mediates the influence of Internal Audit, Risk Management, whistleblowing system and big data analytics to prevent financial crime behavior.

The Greek labour market before and after the pandemic: slack, tightness and skills mismatch

The Greek labour market before and after the pandemic: slack, tightness and skills mismatch

Bridging the labour market skills gap to tackle youth unemployment in South Africa

AbstractSouth Africa has one of the world’s highest youth unemployment rates despite a high demand for skilled labour, because employability remains severely hampered by a persistent vertical skills mismatch. The flagship upskilling programme deployed by the government to enhance job readiness and enterprise development capabilities among rural youth has, however, shown mixed results. The slow uptakes of alumni calls into question the adequacy of the programme’s skills composition in resolving the labour market mismatch. Using the Outcome Mapping approach and probit estimation on self-reported skills improvements among programme participants, this study finds perceived improvements in non-technical skills to be associated with a higher likelihood of success in comparison to technical skills, both in securing a stable job and in launching a viable enterprise after completion of the programme. These findings confirm the growing importance of ‘soft skills’ in bolstering employability when jobs are scarce. They suggest the need for a stronger emphasis on this set of skills in upskilling programmes aimed to address unemployment challenges.

Employment of master’s degree graduates in Kazakhstan: navigating an uncertain labour market

ABSTRACT This article explores the employment experiences of government scholarship graduates from one master’s degree programme at a flagship university in Kazakhstan. Analysis of interviews with graduates of a master’s degree programme designed in response to a national policy agenda shows that graduates encountered numerous challenges transitioning from university to work despite obtaining a degree from a top Kazakhstani university. The key challenges included limited employment opportunities, hostile attitudes toward younger graduates, difficult working conditions and employers’ misunderstanding of the new master’s programmes. We argue that despite significant government financial investment in education, a weak enabling support system hinders graduates’ career advancement and results in job mismatch and underutilization of skills. We suggest that policymakers need to shift debates on human capital development and graduate employability from supply-side factors to a more comprehensive model in which graduate employment is supported through the collaboration of the higher education system, industry, policymakers and graduates themselves.

Beyond ‘supply and demand’: Moving from skills ‘planning’ to seeing skills as endogenous to the economy

This article questions the notion of supply and demand of skills, and, accordingly, the rules and tools that have been developed for skills anticipation in South Africa. I argue that there is nowhere ‘outside’ of the economy where skills are produced. Rather, a society and an economy need to be seen as an organism, where skill formation is a complex set of moving parts. The concept of supply and demand is unhelpful to think about skill formation because it directs our attention towards specific moving parts in isolation from the broader factors that shape them. This explains why, despite the existence of extensive tools and institutions for skills anticipation, and numerous institutions for social dialogue and stakeholder engagement, researchers and policy-makers argue that South Africa has an inadequate supply of the skills that are needed in the workplace and concomitant skills mismatches. The article also presents more specific problems with the rules and tools, particularly in the way the systems and institutions for understanding labour market demand interact with the systems and tools for the supply of skills – especially those tools that govern and shape skills provision. It argues further that, whereas there are real problems with these rules and tools, and while they can certainly be improved, the broad goals that they are intended to achieve will not be attained even with better tools, but that different conceptual lenses are required instead.

Job-to-job transitions and the job satisfaction puzzle: a diff-in-diff analysis for eleven EU countries

ABSTRACT This paper studies the impact of different types of job-to-job transitions (from salaried employment to self-employment, from self-employment to salaried employment, and within salaried employment) on job satisfaction. Considering the three types of job transition, allows us to separate the pure mobility effect from the type of employment effect. We design an identification strategy based on the diff-in-diff approach. This is possible because our panel data allow us to compare the same individuals before and after job-to-job transitions occur. Our findings indicate that individuals who move from salaried employment to self-employment increase their overall job satisfaction more than workers who carry out other types of job transitions, while the impact of job changes on satisfaction in other job domains is mixed. We also find heterogeneous interactive effects of previous unemployment spells and self-perceived skill mismatch with job transitions depending on the type of transition. While skill mismatch is more important in the transition from salaried employment to self-employment, previous unemployment is more important for job changes within salaried employment.

Drivers of skill mismatch among Italian graduates: the role of personality traits

ABSTRACT It is now well accepted that human capital is a heterogeneous aggregate and that noncognitive skills are at least as relevant as cognitive abilities. In spite of this growing interest in the labour market consequences of personality traits, the relationship between these and educational and skill mismatch is scant. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the five main personality traits (Big 5) on educational and skill mismatch in Italian graduates. To this aim, we use the 2018 wave of the INAPP-PLUS survey, which contains information on skill mismatch, on the Big 5 personality traits, and on a large number of other individual and job-specific characteristics. The empirical analysis takes into account both demand and supply variables mediating the effect of personality on skill mismatch and controls for non-random selection into employment and tertiary education. We find that some personality traits reduce the probability of overeducation, suggesting complementarity between cognitive and noncognitive skills. In addition, we find a positive effect of conscientiousness on both overeducation and overqualification. The evidence regarding job satisfaction suggests that individuals with high scores for conscientiousness voluntarily decide to be mismatched when this entails higher satisfaction in other dimensions of the job.

Effectiveness of Skill Development Programmes under DDUGKY Scheme in Kancheepuram District

As India moves undeviating towards becoming a global knowledge economy, it must meet the rising hope of its youth. Skill development has a pivotal role in this highly competitive world in order to cater to the aspirations of its young population. The objective of this article focuses on the skill development programmes under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDU-GKY) scheme and the various factors affecting skill development programmes and employability and finally to conclude whether DDU-GKY scheme is effective in Kancheepuram district. The data for the research was collected from the PIAs in Kancheepuram District. The total population of the study is 1856, out of which 154 sample respondents were chosen using simple random sampling. The statistical tools used were Kruskal Wallis test, One way ANOVA, Chi Square test, Mann Whitney U test and One sample t test. The major findings of the study were Skill mismatch and mobilizations have serious impact on the skill development programmes under DDU-GKY scheme, followed by infrastructure. Also domain knowledge and communication has found to have major importance on employability of the respondents. Based on the analysis, Mobilization has a very serious impact on the effectiveness of the scheme. Present study brings into light that; even though there is a good implementation of the scheme in the Kancheepuram district, they are not up to the expectations in certain points. There is room for further improvement in terms of mobilization and resultant placement.

Mismatch Cycles

This paper studies the cyclical dynamics of skill mismatch and quantifies its impact on labor productivity. We build a tractable directed search model, in which workers differ in skills along multiple dimensions and sort into jobs with heterogeneous skill requirements. Skill mismatch arises because of information frictions and is prolonged by search frictions. Estimated to the United States, the model replicates salient business cycle properties of mismatch. Job transitions in and out of bottom job rungs, combined with career mobility, are key to account for the empirical fit. The model provides a novel narrative for the scarring effect of unemployment.

A dream job? Skill demand and skill mismatch in ICT

ABSTRACT We analyse labour demand and mismatch for educational traits in information and communication technology (ICT) occupations, taking into account the areas of education, occupations and skills in demand, and the supply of labour. We based our analysis on almost 40 million online job offers and a CAWI survey of people aged 18–65 in Poland. The analysis uses official classifications, and considers both job-related and transversal skills. To analyse an objective measure of mismatch, we compare job requirements stated in job offers to the declared characteristics of potential labour supply, and present demand and mismatch for skills across occupations. We also model a declared educational mismatch and its determinants, including educational profiles of surveyed participants. In order to further investigate the mismatches in ICT fields of education, occupations and skills, we compare them with the mismatches in other occupational groups. The analysis concludes with direct educational policy recommendations, including the Sectoral Qualifications Framework for ICT occupations in Poland. Our approach shows the complete educational characteristics of skill demands and skill mismatches.

Skill Needs among European Workers in Knowledge Production and Transfer Occupations

Skills needed in jobs and skills mismatches are important topics for research and policy in the field of economic development and the labour market. Understanding skill needs is essential for improving education and training policies, as labour markets experience dynamic transformation driven by rapid technological progress and increased complexity of work. On the other hand, knowledge economy is considered an important driver force of economic growth. This paper aims to assess skill needs in knowledge production and transfer occupations. We analyse data from online job advertisements and from the European Skills and Jobs Survey in order to provide a comprehensive picture of skills needed in occupations related to science, technology and ICT, as well as teaching positions from higher education in Europe. We find that workers involved in knowledge production and transfer activate in highly changing and challenging working environments. They differentiate themselves by other professionals and technicians mostly by the increased need for ICT skills, problem-solving, communication and learning skills, the ability to collaborate and adaptability. Our results are relevant for designing better education and training programs targeting occupations supporting knowledge production and transfer.