Required and available skills in the Required and available skills in the European labor market for higher European labor market for higher

education graduateseducation graduates

Christoph MengChristoph MengResearch Centre for Education and the Research Centre for Education and the

Labour Market Labour Market Maastricht UniversityMaastricht University

AgendaAgenda

Measuring SkillsMeasuring Skills

Recent SurveysRecent Surveys

ResultsResults

Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

Measuring SkillsMeasuring Skills

Distinction between competency and skillDistinction between competency and skill

Group of skillsGroup of skills

Referring to a single underlying dimensionReferring to a single underlying dimension

Condition to fulfill complex tasksCondition to fulfill complex tasks

Measuring SkillsMeasuring Skills

Self-assessmentSelf-assessment

Pros and cons:Pros and cons:– Direct at the source of informationDirect at the source of information– Measurement errors Measurement errors

Pompousness or exaggerated modestyPompousness or exaggerated modesty

Influenced by surroundingsInfluenced by surroundings

Vagueness/ambiguities in questionVagueness/ambiguities in question

Different yardsticksDifferent yardsticks

Recent SurveysRecent Surveys

CHEERSCHEERS– 3 years after graduation3 years after graduation– Survey in 1998/1999Survey in 1998/1999– European countries + JapanEuropean countries + Japan

REFLEXREFLEX– 5 years after graduation5 years after graduation– Survey in 2005/2006Survey in 2005/2006– European countries + JapanEuropean countries + Japan

First serie of studiesFirst serie of studies

CHEERS data setCHEERS data set

Discipline versus AcademicDiscipline versus Academic

AcquisitionAcquisition

RoleRole

ValueValue

CompetenciesCompetencies

Discipline-specificDiscipline-specific

Theoretical Theoretical knowledgeknowledge

Knowledge of Knowledge of methodsmethods

Academic Academic

Learning abilitiesLearning abilities

Reflective thinkingReflective thinking

Problem-solvingProblem-solving

Analytical Analytical

DocumentingDocumenting

RequirementsRequirements

RequirementsRequirements

3.8

3.85

3.9

3.95

4

4.05

Academic

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

France

RequirementsRequirements

3,3

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,9

4

4,1

Academic Discipline-specific

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

France

AcquisitionAcquisition

AcquisitionAcquisition

3.4

3.45

3.5

3.55

3.6

3.65

3.7

3.75

3.8

3.85

3.9

Academic

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

France

AcquisitionAcquisition

3,1

3,2

3,3

3,4

3,5

3,6

3,7

3,8

3,9

Academic Discipline-specific

Germany

Netherlands

United Kingdom

France

Competencies and ILM versus Competencies and ILM versus OLMOLM

Competencies and ILM versus Competencies and ILM versus OLMOLM

ILM

OLM

Academic competencies orientation

NL

D

UK

FR

Role and value of CompetenciesRole and value of Competencies

OLM countriesOLM countries– Allocation: Discipline-specific competenciesAllocation: Discipline-specific competencies– Training: Academic competenciesTraining: Academic competencies– Wage: Mismatch in discipline-specific competenciesWage: Mismatch in discipline-specific competencies

ILM countriesILM countries– Allocation: no effectAllocation: no effect– Training: Academic competenciesTraining: Academic competencies– Wage: Mismatch in academic competencies (UK)Wage: Mismatch in academic competencies (UK)

Second serie of studiesSecond serie of studies

REFLEX data setREFLEX data set

Requirement of skills in different sectorsRequirement of skills in different sectors

Trend setting organisationTrend setting organisation

Trend followerTrend follower

RequirementsRequirements

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

Trendfollower

2 3 4 Trendsetter

Lijn 1 Lijn 2 Lijn 3

RequirementsRequirements

0,00%

10,00%

20,00%

30,00%

40,00%

50,00%

60,00%

70,00%

Trendfollower

2 3 4 Trendsetter

Ability to coordinate activities

Ability to mobilise capacities of others

Ability to assert authority

RequirementsRequirements

0,00%

10,00%

20,00%

30,00%

40,00%

50,00%

60,00%

Trendfollower

2 3 4 Trendsetter

Alertness to new opportunities

Willingness to question own/others' ideas

Match Match

0,00%

10,00%

20,00%

30,00%

40,00%

50,00%

60,00%

70,00%

80,00%

Trendfollower

2 3 4 Trendsetter

Innovatieve skills Management skills

Concluding remarksConcluding remarks

Self assessmentSelf assessment

Absolute comparisons: NOAbsolute comparisons: NO

Relative comparisons: YESRelative comparisons: YES

Anchors Anchors current and future research current and future research