5.4.3 Exploring the potential of OJVs for real-time LMI in ETF partner countries

Exploring the potential of OJVs for real-time LMI in ETF partner countries

Governments and socio-economic partners in most ETF partner countries are unanimous on the need to develop and better use information on labour market and skills dynamics to improve the performance of education and training, the availability of qualifications and skills for employment, and lifelong societal and personal development of people.

In this context, most partner countries have been reinforcing their systems, capacities and methods to identify, analyse and anticipate demand and skills needs in a context of changing economic structures, new types of work, and rapid digital transformation of occupations and tasks.

While conventional Labour Market Information (LMI), based on regular statistics, specific-purpose surveys and qualitative methods, has gained ground in ETF partner countries, there is much room to further innovate data sources, improve analytical capacities and modernise the formats and instruments to visualise and disseminate insights for users (policy-makers, socio-economic partners, education and training players).

Some ETF partner countries are eager to explore the potentialities of OJV data to improve their LMI.

Armenia National SDG Innovation Lab uses Big Data analytics

Projects based on Big Data analytics have significant technical and analytical requirements of a multi-disciplinary nature: data science, database development, domain expertise, and statistics. Supporting countries to build and sustain such capacities at national level and networks for sharing of experience at regional / international level are recognized priorities.

ETF partner countries have seen a growing use of digital tools and online portals – public and private - to post and manage job vacancies. In this context ETF started in 2018 an initiative within its digital innovation project aimed at exploring the potential for application of Big Data analytics for LMI in ETF partner countries. To undertake this initiative ETF works together with data scientists and researchers of CRISP, the research centre of the University Milano-Bicocca. Mario Mezzanzanica and Fabio Mercorio authored the ETF publication. The project approach builds on the combination of four main aspects (see the following figure): 

Approach of ETF initiative Big Data for LMI

To systematize an up-to-date knowledge-base illustrated by practical cases in support of the partner countries’ initiatives, ETF published in June 2019 an introductory guide: Big Data for Labour Market Intelligence.