2016年-世界发展银行全球_Employer_Survey_Snapshot_2016___Highlights_from_Six_Low_and_Middle-Income_Countries_31页_2mb

Summary of STEPSLLS Employer Survey Snapshot—2016

Core Content

The Skills Towards Employment and Productivity (STEP) Employer Survey is a tool designed to measure skill demand and supply in six low- and middle-income countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and China (Yunnan Province). The survey aims to inform labor and education policies by identifying the skills that employers value, the challenges they face in recruitment, and how they address skill gaps through training and other mechanisms.

Main Findings

1. Skills Mismatch and Employer Challenges

• A significant portion of employers face difficulties in recruiting staff due to a lack of required skills in candidates.
• Employers are more positive about the qualifications of white-collar workers compared to blue-collar workers.
• Other constraints include wage expectations, low applicant numbers, and dissatisfaction with working conditions.
• In Yunnan Province, employers reported a slightly higher challenge in recruiting blue-collar workers with the required skill sets.

2. Perception of Education and TVET Systems

• Employers across all countries generally view the general education and TVET systems as problematic, primarily due to their inability to provide practical skills.
• The focus of criticism is on job-specific technical skills, while few employers express dissatisfaction with attitudes or soft skills.
• In Vietnam, 48% of employers consider general education as a constraint, and 58% consider TVET as such.
• In Georgia, fewer firms found hiring to be a challenge, particularly in the tourism, construction, IT, and telecommunication industries.

3. Skills Valued by Employers

• Job-specific technical skills are the most valued by employers for both white- and blue-collar workers.
• Leadership skills and numeracy are ranked as the most important for retraining white-collar workers.
• Communication skills and independence are most valued for blue-collar workers.
• Cognitive skills such as reading, writing, and problem-solving are also highly valued, with teamwork being the most frequently used skill.

4. Skill Use by Worker Type and Firm Size

• White-collar workers use a larger number of skills and apply them more regularly than blue-collar workers.
• Computer use is more common among white-collar workers, and the complexity of such use increases with firm size.
• In Vietnam, blue-collar workers in smaller firms use mathematics more frequently than in larger firms.
• In Azerbaijan, blue-collar workers use foreign languages and teamwork more frequently than white-collar workers.

5. Innovative Firms and Their Skill Requirements

• Innovative firms are more likely to experience recruitment difficulties and are more critical of the current skill levels of workers.
• These firms are more likely to invest in training for both white- and blue-collar workers.
• Critical thinking is a unique skill that is more valued by innovative firms than traditional ones.
• In Georgia, innovative employers are four times more likely to have regular contact with education and training institutions than traditional ones.

6. Training Provision by Employers

• Internal training is more common than external training, with larger firms providing more training opportunities.
• Innovative firms provide significantly more internal and external training than traditional firms.
• In Yunnan Province, internal training is approximately equally common in both types of firms.
• Less than 25% of employers in most countries have regular interactions with education and training providers, while Yunnan Province reports a 60% engagement rate.
• These interactions are primarily for short-term needs such as recruitment, work placements, and employee training, rather than for long-term structural improvements.

Key Insights

• The STEP Employer Survey provides a comprehensive understanding of skill demands and employer perceptions in the labor market.
• There is a clear distinction between the skills valued and the skills actually used in the workplace.
• Innovative firms face greater skill challenges and invest more in training, highlighting their strategic importance in the labor market.
• Education and TVET systems are often seen as inadequate in providing practical skills, but few employers criticize attitudes or soft skills.
• White-collar workers are more likely to use computers and apply a wider range of skills compared to blue-collar workers.
• Firm size and type (innovative vs. traditional) influence skill intensity and training provision.

Conclusion

The STEP Employer Survey is a valuable tool for understanding skills mismatches and employer needs in the labor market. It highlights the importance of aligning education and training with actual job requirements and the need for more practical and relevant skill development. The findings underscore the critical role of innovative firms in driving skill demand and training investment, and the necessity for policy reforms to improve education and TVET systems.