Search Results | VOCEDplus, the international tertiary education and research database

Add to My selection

Skill achievement and returns in developing countries: evidence from adult skills surveys

Using novel adult skills surveys, this article analyses cross-country patterns in skill achievement and labour mark ... Show more
Using novel adult skills surveys, this article analyses cross-country patterns in skill achievement and labour market returns, comparing the outcomes for a subset of developing countries with the results previously found for high-income economies. Apart from displaying lower average cognitive skills, developing countries also exhibit wider disparities in levels of skills by subgroups of educational attainment, gender, and parental education. Meanwhile, baseline estimates of returns to skills reveal that a one-standard deviation increase in literacy skills is associated with an earnings increase of 14.6 per cent in developing countries, which is statistically indistinguishable from the average returns of 17.7 estimated for developed countries. Nonetheless, there is considerable heterogeneity in the returns across developing countries, with the lowest estimates found in Armenia and Ukraine at 2 per cent (not statistically significant) and 6 per cent, respectively, and the highest reported in Kenya at above 30 per cent. Differences in the type of employment opportunities and the degree of employment selection in these labour markets are important determinants of the observed gap in returns. International comparisons of returns should take this into consideration.
Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Authors: Chua, Kenn

Date: 2017

Geographic subjects: Armenia; Bolivia; Colombia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Article

Journal title: European journal of education: research, development and policy

Subjects: Skills and knowledge; Employment; Income
Add to My selection

More than schooling: understanding gender differences in the labor market when measures of skill are available

This paper uses measures of cognitive and noncognitive skills in an expanded definition of human capital to examine ... Show more
This paper uses measures of cognitive and noncognitive skills in an expanded definition of human capital to examine how schooling and skills differ between men and women and how those differences relate to gender gaps in earnings across nine middle-income countries. The analysis finds that post-secondary schooling and cognitive skills are more important for women's earnings at the lower end and middle of the earnings distribution, and that men and women have positive returns to openness to new experiences and risk-taking behavior and negative returns to hostile attribution bias. Especially at the lower end of the earnings distribution, women are disadvantaged not so much by having lower human capital than men, but by institutional factors such as wage structures that reward women's human capital systematically less than men's.
Published abstract. Show less

Authors: Gunewardena, Dileni; King, Elizabeth M.; Valerio, Alexandria

Date: 2018

Geographic subjects: Ukraine; Serbia; Armenia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: World Bank policy research working paper

Subjects: Gender; Skills and knowledge; Labour market ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Monitoring the learning outcomes of education systems

Many education systems, most of them in industrialised countries, have recently begun to show an interest in collec ... Show more
Many education systems, most of them in industrialised countries, have recently begun to show an interest in collecting information on students' learning outcomes as a result of their educational experiences. This interest has been demonstrated either by the development of national procedures to assess student achievement or by participation in international studies of student achievement. This document provides introductory information on means of assessing the learning outcomes of education systems. It examines the nature, choice, and use of indicators and describes several approaches to assessing learning outcomes in selected industrial countries (the United States of America and the United Kingdom) and developing countries (Chile, Colombia, Mauritius, Namibia, and Thailand). The authors also review systems of comparative international assessment and discuss the question of participation in these activities by developing countries. The text is supported by tables and an appendix containing a national assessment checklist. Show less

Authors: Greaney, Vincent; Kellaghan, Thomas

Date: 1996

Geographic subjects: North America; Asia; South America ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: Directions in development

Subjects: Assessment; Students; Performance ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Who are the bachelor's and master's graduates?

Graduation rates for bachelor's and master's degrees have dramatically increased over the past two decades, with si ... Show more
Graduation rates for bachelor's and master's degrees have dramatically increased over the past two decades, with six million bachelor's degrees and three million master's degrees awarded in OECD countries in 2013. Although women represent over half of the graduates at the bachelor's and master's level, they are still strikingly under-represented in the fields of sciences and engineering. The proportion of international students rises with every level of tertiary education: while seven per cent of bachelor's graduates were international students in 2013, the figure increases to 18 per cent among those awarded a master's degree.
Published abstract reprinted by permission of the copyright owner. Show less

Corporate authors: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

Date: 2016

Geographic subjects: Africa;

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: OECD education indicators in focus

Subjects: Qualifications; Demographics; Gender ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) interventions to improve the employability and employment of young people in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

The main objective of this systematic review was to summarise the available evidence on the effects of [technical a ... Show more
The main objective of this systematic review was to summarise the available evidence on the effects of [technical and vocational education and training] TVET interventions for young people in developing countries to inform policy, practice, and research. The questions guiding this study were: What are the effects of different models of TVET interventions on the employment and employability outcomes of young people, aged 15-24 years, in low- and middle-income countries? What do the findings suggest about moderating effects?
A systematic and comprehensive search was used to locate both published and unpublished studies. Studies eligible for inclusion in the review were required to meet several eligibility criteria. The 26 included studies assessed the effectiveness of 20 different TVET interventions from various countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, East Asia, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. Publication dates ranged between 2001 and 2011. Study settings included 10 upper-middle income countries (Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Latvia, Mexico, Panama and Peru); two lower-middle income countries (India and Bhutan); and one low-income country (Kenya). The existing evidence shows that TVET interventions have some promise but there is a clear need for additional research in this area.
Excerpts from publication. Show less

Authors: Tripney, Janice; Hombrados, Jorge; Newman, Mark; Hovish, Kimberly ... [+] Show more

Date: 2013

Geographic subjects: Argentina; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Brazil ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: Campbell systematic reviews

Subjects: Employment; Research; Youth ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Education, skills and labor market outcomes: results from large-scale adult skills surveys in urban areas in 12 countries

In recent years, skills development has become a priority among developed and developing countries alike. The data ... Show more
In recent years, skills development has become a priority among developed and developing countries alike. The data in this publication were gathered through the implementation of the the Skills Towards Employability and Productivity (STEP) Skills Measurement Program, which sponsored large-scale skills surveys of adult populations residing in urban areas in 12 low- and middle-income countries. STEP has been implemented in waves, the first surveys being implemented in seven countries in 2012 (Bolivia, Colombia, Ghana, Lao PDR, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the Yunnan Province in China), and the second in five countries in 2013 (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kenya, and Macedonia FYR). The data presented in this publication correspond to these countries. A third wave is currently under implementation in Serbia, Kosovo, Libya, and the Philippines.
This publication looks at the STEP household survey data through the lenses of educational attainment. It illustrates the similarities and differences among groups that have completed different education levels on a wide range of issues and outcomes. Section one analyzes the trajectory of skills acquisition: participation in early childhood education programs, educational attainment by gender, and participation in training and apprenticeship programs. Section two explores background conditions associated with educational attainment, including the socioeconomic status of survey respondents at age 15, the educational attainment of their parents, their households' asset levels, their health (as expressed by the presence of chronic illness), and their overall satisfaction with life. Sections three to five look at skill levels as reported by survey respondents. Section three covers cognitive skills: writing, numeracy, and reading (which is also evaluated through a direct reading assessment). Section four covers job-relevant skills, which are task-specific and which respondents possess or use on the job. Section five covers socio-emotional skills, using established metrics to measure personality and behavior. Finally, section six covers the status of survey respondents in the labor market: whether they are employed, unemployed, or inactive. For the employed, this section also includes information on respondents' opinions regarding the usefulness of their studies in their current job as well as information about those who own a business.
Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

Authors: Roseth, Viviana V.; Valerio, Alexandria; Gutierrez, Marcela

Date: 2016

Geographic subjects: Bolivia; Colombia; Ghana ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Skills and knowledge; Outcomes; Research ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Bridging the divide: connecting training to jobs in post-conflict settings

Vocational training is often viewed by international organisations as a general solution to securing jobs for ex-co ... Show more
Vocational training is often viewed by international organisations as a general solution to securing jobs for ex-combatants in the aftermath of war. However, ex-combatants are frequently unable to get a job following their training. This report documents a mismatch between vocational training and jobs for ex-combatants in Afghanistan, Angola, Colombia, Haiti, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Uganda. These vocational training-jobs mismatches are pressing concerns because there is evidence to indicate that unemployed ex-combatants can increase the likelihood of a return to violence in postconflict settings. This report demonstrates the importance of: conducting research on local labour markets and consumer demand before programme design and implementation; securing buy-in from ex-combatants, communities and political leaders; making certain that ex-combatants receive high quality and market-relevant training; monitoring, evaluating and following up on ex-combatants after training; budgeting for retraining, employment referral and business start-up support; training female ex-combatants and ex-combatants with physical disabilities to access mainstream employment opportunities; and attending to ex-combatants’ mental health problems. The Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ, now GIZ) implemented a vocational training and job creation programme for ex-combatants in Aceh, Indonesia, from 2006 to 2009, which is highlighted as a case study in this report. The programme demonstrated how most of these factors can be addressed through partnering with other organisations, and succeeded in getting ex-combatants jobs after training as a result. Economic reintegration for ex-combatants in post-conflict settings is expensive and chronically under-funded. Increased funding should therefore be made available to support international organisations in their efforts to train and secure jobs for ex-combatants. This increase in funding should be accompanied by the incorporation of the factors laid out above into programme budgets, making implementers directly accountable for those factors which are driving a mismatch between vocational training and jobs for ex-combatants. Show less

Authors: McKibben, Gareth

Date: 2011

Geographic subjects: Afghanistan; Angola; Colombia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Subjects: Vocational education and training; Economics; Outcomes ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) for young people in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The world is facing a worsening youth employment crisis. In response, technical and vocational education and traini ... Show more
The world is facing a worsening youth employment crisis. In response, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is back on the development agenda after years of neglect. This systematic review examined the evidence from studies evaluating the impacts of TVET interventions for young people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The 26 included studies evaluated 20 different interventions, predominantly from Latin America. Meta-analyses of the effectiveness of TVET on five outcome measure categories were conducted. The overall mean effects on overall paid employment, formal employment, and monthly earnings were small, positive, and significant; however, significant heterogeneity was observed. Moderator analysis was performed in an attempt to explain between-study differences in effects. The overall paucity of research in this area, together with specific gaps and methodological limitations, affirm the need for strengthening the evidence base. Implications for policy, practice and research are discussed.
Published abstract. Show less

Authors: Tripney, Janice; Hombrados, Jorge

Date: 2013

Geographic subjects: Argentina; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Brazil ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Article

Journal title: Empirical research in vocational education and training

Subjects: Employment; Research; Youth ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Labor market exposure to AI: cross-country differences and distributional implications

This paper examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on labor markets in both Advanced Economies (AEs) an ... Show more
This paper examines the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on labor markets in both Advanced Economies (AEs) and Emerging Markets (EMs). We propose an extension to a standard measure of AI exposure, accounting for AI's potential as either a complement or a substitute for labor, where complementarity reflects lower risks of job displacement. We analyze worker-level microdata from 2 AEs (US and UK) and 4 EMs (Brazil, Colombia, India, and South Africa), revealing substantial variations in unadjusted AI exposure across countries. AEs face higher exposure than EMs due to a higher employment share in professional and managerial occupations. However, when accounting for potential complementarity, differences in exposure across countries are more muted. Within countries, common patterns emerge in AEs and EMs. Women and highly educated workers face greater occupational exposure to AI, at both high and low complementarity. Workers in the upper tail of the earnings distribution are more likely to be in occupations with high exposure but also high potential complementarity.
Published abstract. Show less

Authors: Pizzinelli, Carlo; Panton, Augustus J.; Tavares, Marina M.; Cazzaniga, Mauro ... [+] Show more

Date: 2023

Geographic subjects: United States; North America; Great Britain ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Report, paper or authored book

Series name: IMF working paper

Subjects: Labour market; Employment; Technology ... [+] Show more
Add to My selection

Non-university higher education and the relationship of its graduates and the world of work: Colombia

The non-university sector has been part of the Colombian higher education system for more than 50-years. Despite it ... Show more
The non-university sector has been part of the Colombian higher education system for more than 50-years. Despite its long years of existence, it has never occupied such an important role within the education system as the one it is having today. Therefore, the aim of this work is to analyze the development of the non-university sector in the framework of the country's social, educational and economic demands. Likewise, its actual situation and certain aspects of the relationship between its graduates and the world of work, i.e., graduates' employment characteristics, the relationship of higher education studies and their work, as well as their early career success, are examined. In order to generate the required information, a graduate survey was carried out in Atlantico (Colombia). The target population was graduates from higher education institutions registered in Atlantico who were awarded a technical, technological or professional degree in 2008 from any of the following knowledge areas: Fine Arts, Health Science, Economy-Administration-Accountancy and similar, and Engineering-Architecture-Urban planning and similar. Besides, interviews with academic and administrative staff from non-university institutions were carried out, and higher education related documents were analyzed. As a whole, the findings suggest that the non-university sector is expanding and may help to achieve some of the goals, for which it is widely promoted i.e., access expansion for under-represented groups, enhancement of the higher education system, and the provision of programs pertinent to the needs of the market. Nevertheless, some aspects require further consideration, e.g., the sector's consolidation within the system and its quality. As for the relationship between non-university higher education and the world of work, it was found to be close; particularly in those aspects related to the use of knowledge and skills in the work, and the relationship between graduates' studies and their work. Additionally, the analysis of the graduates' in their early career stages exposes the significant role that the socioeconomic stratum plays in their working life, particularly in their wages. This indicates that apart from education, other factors like the graduates' economic or social capital may have an impact on their future work perspectives.
Published abstract. Show less

Authors: Torrado, Carla Elizabeth Ramirez

Date: 2013

Geographic subjects: Colombia; South America; Asia ... [+] Show more

Resource type: Thesis

Subjects: Students; Outcomes; Higher education ... [+] Show more

Sort by

Filter by authors

Filter by subjects

Filter by keywords

Filter by geographic subjects

Filter by resource type

Filter by peer reviewed

Filter by date