Factors of education-job mismatch among youth in Kyrgyz Republic

Abstract

Objective: to identify and analyze the discrepancies between the level of educational services and the needs of the labor market in Kyrgyz Republic.Methods: empirical analysis is based on questionnaire data collected by International Labour Organization in 2013 to analyze the problem of transition of the youth in Kyrgyz Republic from educational system to the labour market. A Probit model with multiple alternatives was used to assess the factors of misalignment between education and employment.Results: the article is devoted to the analysis of the problem of imbalance of supply and demand in the labor market, namely the misalignment between the socio-professional skills of a young specialist and the company needs. The article emphasizes the need for an empirical approach to assessing this problem in developing countries, such as Kyrgyz Republic. The analysis of labor resources in the Republic showed that in the recent years the number of higher education institutions offering educational services mainly of humanitarian profile has increased sharply, while the most demanded professions are represented to a much lesser extent. At the same time, there is a fairly high level of unemployment among young professionals as a result of oversaturation of the market by representatives of certain professions. The article emphasizes that the current situation is associated largely with the presence of excess education, which, in turn, is caused by a number of factors, such as the lack of comprehensive assessment and forecasts of the labor market needs, the reluctance of universities to adjust educational programs to the market needs, etc.The article analyzes the data of the ILO survey which revealed that the correspondence of the education of the position largely varies in subjective and objective assessments. The prevalence of insufficiently educated and over-educated specialists in various industries was also revealed. The empirical multi-variant model, presented in the article, which establishesthe relationship between gender, level of education, experience, economic sectors and other factors, enabled to conclude that age significantly affects the opportunity to occupy a position corresponding to the level of education, while age and place of residence largely determine the probability of “excess” education. Scientific novelty: for the first time, the article examines the factors of mismatch between the education level and the labor market in Kyrgyz Republic case using empirical methods. Practical significance: the main conclusions of the article can be used in scientific research and analytical studies of the mismatch between the educational services and the labor market. In addition, the study results can serve as a basis for the development of employment policies by the relevant authorities.

Keywords

• экономика и управление народным хозяйством
• рынок образовательных услуг
• рынок труда
• рассогласование
• анализ трудоустройства молодежи