Occupations and skills most demanded by enterprises – the case of South Serbia Galjina Ognjanov, Faculty of Economics – University of Belgrade Valli Corbanese,

Occupations and skills most demanded by enterprises – the case

of South Serbia

Galjina Ognjanov, Faculty of Economics – University of Belgrade

Valli Corbanese, International Labour Organisation

RCC Conference: New Skills for New Jobs in the Western Balkans, Sarajevo, 27-28 October, 2011

Topics

Economic and social context in South SerbiaOccupational skills surveyMethodologyFindingsProblemsConclusions and implications


Four districts in South Serbia13.2% of territory14.4 % of population (1 mil)


Economic and social context in South Serbia

A challenging labour market situationlower employment and higher unemployment

rates than the national averagewages approximately 20 % lower than those

paid in other regionslower skills levels: higher shares of the

population with primary or less than primary educational attainment


Economic and social context in South Serbia

Total unemployment Unemployment rate

Serbia 649,155 22.9

Jablanicki 17,064 16.8

Nisavski 38,176 26.9

Pcinjski 22,476 24.8

Pomoravski 21,745 24.2

Table 1: Unemployment in South Serbia

Source: Republic Statistical Office (RSO), Labour Force Survey, 2010

Gross salaries Net salaries Percentage

national gross salary

Serbia 47,450 34,142 100

Pomoravski 38,713 28,367 81.6

Nisavski 39,488 28,513 83.2

Jablanicki 36,089 25,969 76.1

Pcinjski 36,302 26,118 76.5

Table 2: Average gross and net salaries in South Serbia (Serbian Dinars, 2010)

Source: Republic Statistical Office (RSO), http://webrzs.stat.gov.rs


Occupational skills survey

Main purpose: identifying the economic sectors, occupations and skills

most demanded by enterprises

Carried out:February 2011, Republican Statistical office

Supported by:YEM (MDG Fund) and PBUILD (Gov. Sweden, Norway

and Switzerland)

Background:2009 Occupations and Skills Survey in Serbia (YEM,

MDGF)


Occupational skills survey

Job creation and job destruction among enterprises and entrepreneurs

Trends in workforce recruitmentSkills of the workforce and training practicesCooperation with the National Employment

ServiceConclusions and policy implications


Methodology

A total of 666 enterprises and 487 entrepreneurs (i.e. unincorporated businesses) surveyed

Sample frame of 5,267 enterprises and 8,073 unincorporated businesses generated at country level by cross-referencing the records of the business register and of the tax administration

Stratified random sampling procedure (by district, enterprise size class and economic sector)

Instrument based on ISCO 2008, allows deriving occupational skills need from international classification

Administered by phone


Findings: Skills of the workforce and training practices

Occupations most likely to create new jobs in South Serbia (short t0 medium term) mapped according to:

occupations creating jobs in last 12 months

current vacanciesoccupations to create

jobs in the next 12 months

Sales occupations

Clerical occupations

Food preparation occupations

Machine operators and assemblers


Vocational skills groups neededVocational skills groups needed

Higher skills occupations to be neededHigher skills occupations to be needed

Sales skills Administration, accounting and computer literacy skills

Manual skills (food preparation)

Manual skills (manufacturing)

Engineering skills

Management skills


Skills listed according to International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) 2008



The strategies to overcome skills deficits are mainly increasing training and recruitment.

Most enterprises provided training to their workers Training is generally short and mostly organized and financed by the enterprise itself.



Figure 2. Models of financing trainings in enterprises in Southern Serbia by districts

Figure 1. Most frequently used training providers among job creating enterprises in last 12 months



Figure 3. Most frequently used training providers among job creating entrepreneurs in last 12 months

Figure 4. Models of financing trainings at entrepreneurs in Southern Serbia by districts



Who receives training?

Enterprises prefer to invest in workers with higher initial skills levels rather than in low-skilled workers (The general trend found in other neighbouring countries and EU confirmed).

The age group 25 to 45 years old is most likely to receive trainings.


Problems

The major problem with regards to conducting the establishment survey (Occupational skills needs survey) is derived from a low ability of responding enterprises/entrepreneurs to communicate the skills needs (Occupations and Skills Survey 2009)

The problem was overcome by using ISCO 2008 which leads to more difficult data analysis and interpretation (especially generalization) of findings (Occupational skills survey 2011)


Conclusions and implications

The improvement of the skills base of the workforce, should be given priority.

More and better labour market training programmes needed.

Active labour market policy package offered by the National Employment Service (NES).

Clear indications for the design and targeting of employment programmes in terms of:

1) enterprise size class (micro and small enterprises),

2) economic sectors (trade, manufacturing and, to a lesser extent, construction and professional services)

3) occupations (sales assistants; office and bookkeeping clerks; bakers, butchers and food preparers; and machine tools operators) and

4) the skills most likely to create jobs in the short and medium-term.


Conclusions and implications

The Occupational Skills survey should be conducted on regular basis (annually).

In Serbia it is planned to be integrated within Job Vacancy Survey aligned to the relevant European Union (EU) regulations and standards (Regulation No 453/2008 of 23 April 2008;Commission Regulations No 1062/2008 of 28 October 2008 and No 19/2009 of 13 January 2009).

The data should be shared with other important stakeholders, in particular public and private educational institutions providing general education, vocational trainings, adult education, life-long learning.


Thank you

for attention!

Occupational Skills Survey 2011: Key findings in South

Serbia


Occupations and skills most demanded by enterprises – the case of South Serbia Galjina Ognjanov, Faculty of Economics – University of Belgrade Valli Corbanese,

Documents

new skills

new jobs

skills deficits

training practices skills

higher skills occupations

workforce recruitment

deriving occupational

vocational skills groups