STATE OF THE FIELD IN YOUTH ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Annexes
2012 State of the Field in Youth Economic Opportunities
2.2.1 Bright Ideas: The Shanghai Municipal Government’s Approach to
Education and Employment
Shanghai, one of the largest cities in the world, realized
the importance of creating a labor force educated to
meet the demands of the marketplace. The municipal
government undertook a survey of 45,000 companies,
with the support of ManpowerGroup, to determine
individual company’s hiring plans for the next five to
ten years. Based on their responses, the government
was able to identify which positions would be in
demand in the coming years. The government then
built training universities and incentivized students to
shift from academic to skill-based programs. While this
approach depended on China’s unique political and
economic structure for its success, other countries may
be able to learn from and replicate components of the
ambitious plan.
The Netherlands and Germany have effectively trained workers to fit their economic niches. As a result,
their youth unemployment rates are lower than general unemployment rates. Both countries have prioritized
technical and engineering training. Germany, for example, trains technicians in order to strengthen their
specialization as an exporter of engineered products. Both countries also hold technical and vocational
professions in high esteem, see Box 2.2.2 for a more detailed discussion.
2.2.2 Hot Topics: Do We Favor Professional Education at the Expense of
Vocational Education
Since many countries in the Middle East and North
Africa Region, as well as other regions around
the world, deal with high unemployment rates
for university graduates, participants in the 2011
GYEOC discussed the importance of getting back to
the basics of vocational training. David Arkless, of
ManpowerGroup, commented on families’ tendency
to favor professional education and college degrees
over vocational training. He cited surprising statistics
from the United States, where the starting salary for a
university graduate is $40,000 while the starting salary
for someone with a technical degree is $59,000. Peter
Coy highlighted that unemployment is higher for
college graduates than for non- college graduates in
many developing countries, while the reverse is true
in the U.S. These are signals of the skills that are most
in demand.
Barbara Chilangwa, Executive Director for the
Campaign for Female Education (Camfed) and former
Permanent Secretary of Education in Zambia, noted
that parents in Zambia wanted their children to
become doctors and lawyers, yet when students
graduated high school, they could not afford college
and did not have the skills to find a job. This mismatch
of expectation and opportunity can impact young
people negatively.
What do you think Does your country prioritize
professional education over vocation education
While finding the right balance between professional and vocational education is challenging, both Chilangwa
of Camfed and Ambassador Mekouar of Morocco agree that basic education is essential. Young people must have
basic literacy skills to seek and perform in all types of jobs. Basic education, skills-based education, leadership
development, use of information technologies, and pedagogies that focus on “learning by doing” are all
educational strategies critical to producing youth ready to compete in a global economy.
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