Well-educated young workers, a missed opportunity for development

Jobs and economic transformation are fundamental to the process of development. Quality jobs are the surest pathway out of poverty, and having the right skills is crucial to accessing them. Thus, youth skills are a key component of both the labor market prospects for young people and broader economic development.

Educated workers tend to be more productive and versatile in moving between jobs. Since most skills are developed and perfected on the job, not having access to the right type of jobs limits the potential of well-educated youth. This is hindering economic development, especially in the more youthful IDA countries.[1]

To support Jobs Diagnostics and the development of Jobs Strategies in our client countries, the World Bank’s Jobs Group has developed with the Data Group, a Global Jobs Indicators data base from household data, which allows policy makers and practitioners to analyze how patterns of labor force participation and employment vary over time in countries, for women and men, young and older people, the well-educated and less educated, and for rural and urban workers. A one-stop service site where users can find data, tools, and guidance for jobs diagnostics will be launched soon. Stay tuned!