Aspects of the Vocational Education and Training of Tertiary Education Graduates
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Aspects of the Vocational Education and Training of Tertiary Education Graduates
Abstract
On the labour market, an important aspect is the resizing of jobs due to automation, respectively globalization. Technological changes have led to the need to acquire higher skills. The acquired knowledge and skills can lead to an increase in the ability of graduates to enter the labour market. Thus, for the member countries of the European Union, the article presents an analysis of the share of the population with age between 25 and 64 years, with a tertiary level of education. Likewise, the degree of insertion of graduates of tertiary education programs can be influenced by the economic activities carried out by economic agents. Analysis of employment rates for graduates of tertiary education programs is important. From this point of view, an analysis of the educational fields of the graduates is presented. The used comparative statistical analysis considered the study of the evolution of the number of tertiary level graduates, as well as of the educational fields, for the period 2013-2020, for the member countries of the European Union. Also, the 25-64 age group was selected, and for this the evolution of the share of people with tertiary education was studied. The importance of the degree to which graduates occupy a job after graduation, led to the selection of another indicator – the employment rate (for the period 2012-2021). The rate of participation in continuing professional education and training programs was another indicator for which a comparative statistical analysis was carried out. For all these analyses the existing database on the EUROSTAT website was used. The creation of new jobs involves, and also requires, new skills. For people in the field of work, the updating of skills, respectively their improvement, can be achieved by participating in education and professional training programs. At the same time, this subsequent participation in education and professional training programs is an indicator analysed in the article. The presented data show us that in 2021, approximately half of the population aged between 25 and 64, with tertiary education, was the majority in Ireland, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Sweden, Lithuania. The evolution of the number of graduates, at the level of the European Union, shows us that the number of graduates is increasing, so that in 2020 there were 4.24 million tertiary level graduates. It was found that in 2020 most graduates came from France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland. Also, in 2020, the most graduates were for the field of business, administration, and law, followed by: engineering, manufacturing and construction, health and welfare, and education. The lowest share of graduates was for the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and veterinary. It was found that in 2021 the employment rate for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, was high for: Malta, Poland, Hungary, Romania. The lowest values were registered in: Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus. At the same time, in the period 2013-2019, the values of the participation rate in education and professional training programs for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, remained relatively constant, oscillating between 18.0% and 18.7%.
Keywords
European Union, tertiary education, graduates, employability, higher education.
JEL Classification
I20, I21, I23.
1. Introduction
Modern economies, including the labour market, require a workforce with changing skills and competencies. The existence of skills mismatches influences the creation of more sustainable jobs, as well as the economic growth of societies. It can be considered that economic growths are based on educational systems. Changes in the labour market can be due to both demographic and environmental changes, as well as technological transformations. The European Union proposes that, by creating new jobs, to achieve sustainable growth that will allow the economic recovery of the member states’ economies (European Council, 2015). Education and training can contribute to the economic development of a community. A high employment rate can be supported by the acquisition of skills and competences that lead to personal fulfilment. These aspects can also lead to greater employability (European Council, 2018).
Getting a job is conditional on hard skills, but to keep a job, an employee needs both hard skills and soft skills. The challenges related to the interaction between machines and people can be solved by developing soft skills, such as: problem solving, critical thinking, but also the use of a co-working and co-learning (European Economic and Social Committee, 2019). Moreover, it is considered that soft skills, such as intercultural communication and teamwork, are important for achieving a balance between work-life and healthy life (European Parliament, 2022a). Extracurricular activities can help develop soft skills. Through career promotion or access to jobs that require very high levels of qualification, skills such as teamwork require top management coordination. The usefulness of soft skills is given both by their appreciation by employers, at the workplace, and outside the contexts related to the workplace. At the same time, hard skills are necessary for employment (European Economic and Social Committee, 2017). However, for the digital and green transition, both hard skills and soft skills are equally important, as well as transversal, psychosocial and basic skills (European Parliament, 2022b).
Increasing the professional insertion capacity of graduates depends both on the relevance of acquired knowledge and skills, and on the quality of these knowledge and skills. Also, the professional and social path of the graduates is influenced by the rapid entry into the labour market. The demand for people with low qualifications is decreasing. Automation and digitization have made the level of training required for some jobs increasingly high. Social equity can be achieved by creating new jobs based on skills that take into account the digital economy (European Commission, 2019).
Furthermore, solving challenges related to digital and green transformations can be achieved through on-the-job training. In this way, skill development is facilitated. At the same time, promoting a social dialogue in the professional sectors can contribute to an anticipation of these skills, including soft skills. It is believed that the need for soft skills will not be able to be replaced by algorithms and machines. Graduates’ professional profiles will require behavioural skills as well as socio-communicative skills (European Economic and Social Committee, 2023).
For employers, it is very important to know the education level of the population. Thus, we believe that the article supports companies from different fields of activity, by presenting both the level of education and the educational fields in which people in the 25-64 age group have trained. For a better tracking of some indicators, the employment rate was used. Also, considering the importance that must be given to training after graduating from higher education, another indicator is presented in the article: the participation rate in continuing professional education and training programs.
2. Literature Review
A community’s human resource development can be enhanced through participation in lifelong learning programs. Increasing the competitiveness of the labour force can be achieved through measures based on matching the requirements of the labour market. Economic competitiveness takes into account high levels of training of the members of a community. At the same time, changes in the labour market are also due to new technologies. Specialized workers are the ones who can more easily access jobs in some companies. A high job offer can also lead to the possibility of building skills that companies require (Rădulescu et al., 2018).
The globalization process, to which automation processes have a contribution, will lead to resizing of jobs. Thus, robots will replace certain jobs that people do today. Outsourcing other jobs seems to be another prospect. For these reasons, the skills that future jobs will require are difficult to predict. Employability skills can be based on certain personal competencies related to both personal and professional development (Creasey, 2013). Technological transformations lead to interdisciplinary practices. Thus, interdisciplinary approaches can represent the solution to the problems faced by societies (Cobb & Golub, 2022).
The acquisition of basic skills enables both the identification and occupation of quality jobs. They also influence how people engage in economic and social life. At the same time, the state of health and the aging of the population have influences regarding employment (Burlacu et al., 2018). Developing key skills is another point of interest for employers. They are increasingly interested in people who, in addition to an academic background, possess these key skills. Considering these aspects is thus considered that the professional insertion of graduates is greatly facilitated (Holmes & Miller, 2000).
The negative influence of demographic factors, in particular by reducing the number of people of working age, as well as the influence of low qualifications, can lead to different levels of development of some regions of the European Union (European Union, 2011). The request to increase competitiveness is a consequence of the requirements coming from the labour market. In support of this, it is important that employees have professional skills, but also personal skills (Profiroiu et al., 2021). Investments in education can reduce mismatches between the skills required by companies and the skills graduates possess when they enter the labour market (European Commission, 2018).
3. Methodology
The article presents an analysis of the situation regarding tertiary education graduates, respectively education levels 5-8, according to International Standard Classification of Education – ISCED 2011 (UNESCO, 2012). Thus, a comparative situation of their employment rate is made. Economic agents, through their economic activities, can influence the degree of insertion of graduates. From this point of view, an analysis of the educational fields of the graduates is presented. Participating in professional education and training programs allows the improvement of skills, respectively their updating. The comparative statistical analysis used considered the study of the evolution of the number of tertiary level graduates, as well as of the educational fields, for the period 2013-2020, for the member countries of the European Union. The educational fields correspond to the fields of the ISCED Fields of Education and Training classification (ISCED-F 2013) (UNESCO, 2015). Also, the 25-64 age group was selected, and for this the evolution of the share of people with tertiary education was studied. The importance of the degree to which graduates occupy a job after graduation, led to the selection of another indicator – the employment rate (for the period 2012-2021). The rate of participation in continuing professional education and training programs was another indicator for which a comparative statistical analysis was carried out. For all these analyses the existing database on the EUROSTAT website was used.
4. Results and discussions
Social progress is one of the determining factors for human capital. Thus, the knowledge economy generates challenges in terms of higher education and, implicitly, in terms of the technological progress of a community (Palmisano et al., 2022). In this context, Figure 1 shows the comparative situation of tertiary level graduates (5-8) for the period 2013-2020, for the member countries of the European Union (graduates). From the data presented, it can be seen that in 2020 most graduates came from France (848080), Germany (602059), Spain (492621), Italy (453711), Poland (411534). Also, compared to 2013, in 2020 the number of graduates decreased by over ten thousand in the following countries: Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Bulgaria, Lithuania. Also, in 2020, compared to 2013, the number of graduates increased by over eighty thousand in the following countries: France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain.
Figure 1. The evolution of graduates for the period 2013-2020 (millions of graduates).
Source: Processing according to data published by EUROSTAT, 2023a.
It is observed that in the period 2015-2016, respectively in the period 2017-2018, at the level of the European Union, the number of graduates decreased. For the other intervals, the number of graduates increased, so that in 2020 there were 4.24 million tertiary level (5-8) graduates. Also, considering the total population of each individual country, the following table presents the comparative situation of the share of tertiary level graduates (5-8) in the total population for the period 2013-2020, for the member countries of the European Union (%).
It is noted that, in 2020, the highest shares of tertiary graduates in the total population are recorded in: Hungary (1.82%), Ireland (1.81%), Denmark (1.40%), France (1.26%). At the same time, the lowest values are recorded in: Luxembourg (0.30%), Greece (0.64%), Czechia (0.66%), Romania (0.67%), Bulgaria (0.67%). Compared to 2013, in 2020, the share of tertiary graduates in the total population increased the most in: Hungary (+1.08%), Ireland (+0.49%), Cyprus (+0.44%), Denmark (+0.21%). At the same time, values decreased for ten countries. Significant decreases were experienced by: Slovakia (-0.59%), Poland (-0.49%), Lithuania (-0.45%), Latvia (-0.31%), Czechia (-0.29%), Bulgaria (-0.24%).
Considering the importance of the educational field for which the graduates prepared, Figure 2 shows the graduated fields, as well as their weights for the year 2020.
Figure 2. Graduated fields and their weights for 2020 (%).
Source: Processing according to data published by EUROSTAT, 2023a.
It is noted that, at the level of the European Union, in 2020, most graduates were for the field of Business, administration and law (25.5%). This field is followed by: engineering, manufacturing, and construction (15.0%), health and welfare (13.6%), and education (9.8%). The lowest share of graduates was for the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and veterinary (1.9%). For the population aged between 25 and 64, Table 3 presents the comparative situation of the share of people with tertiary education (levels 5-8) (%). The data presented show us that in 2021 the population aged between 25 and 64, with tertiary education, was the majority in Ireland (52.7%) and Luxembourg (50.5%). The following countries also had shares of over 45%: Cyprus (47%), Sweden (46.7%), Lithuania (45.4%). The lowest shares were registered in: Romania (18.7%), Italy (20.0%), Croatia (24.9%), Czechia (26.4%), Slovakia (27.9%), Hungary (29.3%), Bulgaria (29.6%). Compared to 2012, in 2021 the values increased significantly for: Austria (+14.8%), Malta (+13.9%), Slovenia (+13.9%), Portugal (+12.6%).
Figure 3 shows, at the level of the European Union, the evolution of the share of people with tertiary education, aged between 25 and 64, for the period 2012-2021 (%).
Figure 3. The evolution of the share of people with tertiary education, aged between 25 and 64, for the period 2012-2021 (%).
Source: Processing according to data published by EUROSTAT, 2023b.
It is observed that in the period 2012-2021 the values increased from 26.2% (2012) to 33.4% (2021). Thus, in the year 2021, one third of the population of the European Union between the ages of 25 and 64 was a graduate of tertiary studies. Another important indicator is the employment rate by education level. Table 4 presents the comparative situation of the employment rate for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, for the period 2012-2021 (%).
From the data presented in the previous figure can be seen that in 2021 the employment rate for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, was high for: Malta (91.3%), Poland (90.8%), Hungary (90.7%), Romania (90.0%). The lowest values were recorded in: Greece (76.1%), Spain (81.4%), Italy (82.1%), Cyprus (84.2%). Compared to 2012, in 2021 the values of this indicator increased for: Hungary (+11.2%), Croatia (+8.2%), Slovakia (+7.8%), Portugal (+7.6%), Bulgaria (7.4%). In two countries the employment rate for people aged 25 to 64 with a tertiary level of education fell: Austria (-0.5%) and Latvia (-0.3%).
At the level of the European Union, the evolution of this indicator for the period 2012-2021 is presented in Figure 4 (%).
Figure 4. Evolution of the employment rate for people aged 25 to 64 with a tertiary level of education, for the period 2012-2021 (%).
Source: processing according to data published by EUROSTAT, 2023c.
It can be seen that the values increased from 83.1% (2013) to 86.2% (2019). Then followed a decrease in the year 2020 and again an increase up to 86.4% (2021). Due to changes in the labour market, new technologies, artificial intelligence and more, continuous training is necessary throughout a professional life. Updating skills or acquiring new ones is achieved by participating in continuing professional education and training programs. Table 5 shows the comparative situation of the participation rate in these programs (%).
In 2021, for people aged between 25 and 64 with a tertiary level of education, the participation rate in vocational education and training programs was high for: Sweden (41.9%), Finland (39.0%), Netherlands (34.7%), Slovenia (31.6%), Denmark (27.6%), Estonia (27.6%), Malta (25.8%), Portugal (25.1%). The lowest values were recorded in: Bulgaria (2.9%), Greece (5.6%), Hungary (9.4%), Slovakia (9.8%). Compared to 2012, in 2021 the participation rate in education and vocational training programs increased in: Netherlands (+12.4%), Croatia (+8.1%), Slovenia (+7.7%), Estonia (+7.4%), France (+7.4%), Italy (+7.2%). However, there are countries where the values of this indicator decreased: Denmark (-12.8%), Czechia (-11.0%), Austria (-1.8%), Greece (-0.6%), Germany (-0.4%).
Figure 5 shows the evolution at the level of the European Union of the participation rate in education and professional training programs for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, for the period 2012-2021 (%).
Figure 5. The evolution of the participation rate in education and professional training programs for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, for the period 2012-2021 (%).
Source: Processing according to data published by EUROSTAT, 2023d.
It is observed that in the period 2012-2013 the participation rate increased considerably, from 14.8% to 18.0%. Also, in the period 2013-2019, the values remained relatively constant, oscillating between 18.0% and 18.7%. With the exception of 2020, it can be observed that the value recorded in 2021 (18.6%) falls within the constant evolution from 2013-2019.
5. Conclusions
From the carried-out analysis, it is found that, at the level of the European Union, the number of tertiary level graduates (5-8) is increasing. Thus, in 2020 there were 4.24 million tertiary graduates. However, there were also periods when the number of graduates was decreasing (the 2015-2016 period, respectively in the 2017-2018 period). It was also found that in 2020 the most graduates came from France (0.85 million), Germany (0.60 million), Spain (0.49 million), Italy (0.45 million), Poland (0.41 million). However, compared to 2013, in 2020, the number of graduates decreased by over ten thousand in: Romania, Slovakia, Czechia, Bulgaria, Lithuania.
The data presented show us that, in 2021, approximately half of the population aged between 25 and 64, with tertiary education, was the majority in Ireland, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Sweden, Lithuania. Also, in 2020, the most graduates were for the field of business, administration, and law, followed by: engineering, manufacturing and construction, health and welfare, and education. The lowest share of graduates was for the field of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary. Thus, it can be observed that there are very large differences between the weights of the field of business, administration, and law (25.5%), and agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and veterinary (1.9%).
Regarding the employment rate for people aged 25 to 64 with a tertiary level of education, it is observed that the values increased from 83.1% (2013) to 86.4% (2021). For the year 2021, it had values of over 90% in: Malta, Poland, Hungary, Romania. At the same time, values below 80% were recorded in Greece. Compared to 2012, in 2021 increases of over 5% were recorded in: Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Portugal, Bulgaria. In two countries the employment rate for people aged 25 to 64 with a tertiary level of education fell: Austria and Latvia.
For the other analysed indicator, the participation rate in education and professional training programs for people aged between 25 and 64, with a tertiary level of education, it is observed that, for the analysed period, the values remained relatively constant, oscillating between 18.0% and 18.7%. Thus, in 2021, for the following countries, over 25% of the population with a tertiary level of education and aged between 25 and 64 participated in education and professional training programs: Sweden (41.9%), Finland (39.0%), Netherlands (34.7%), Slovenia (31.6%), Denmark (27.6%), Estonia (27.6%), Malta (25.8%), Portugal (25.1%). For the same year, participation below 10% was registered in: Bulgaria (2.9%), Greece (5.6%), Hungary (9.4%), Slovakia (9.8%).
We can consider that the research is limited to the existing data on the EUROSTAT website, at the time of conducting the study. Moreover, the analysis is carried out for a large age group of 25-64 years. At the same time, it can be appreciated that tracking the employment rate at each level of education that belongs to tertiary education can form a basis for a future article.
The usefulness of this study is given by offering in a single material an analysis of important indicators both for the field of education and for the labour market. Knowing the level of education of people in the 25-64 age group is important for employers. Starting from this analysis, a future study can present in detail the employment rate according to each educational field.
About the Authors
Florina Bran
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4233-0628
Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
Petrică Sorin Angheluță
ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0141-737X
Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
Carmen Valentina Rădulescu
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-9971-9618
Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
Sorin Burlacu
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0189-2472
Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
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