ASSESSMENT OF THE ECONOMIC EFFECTIVENESS OF THE USE OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR TRAINING OF THE UNEMPLOYED

Along with the rapid development of technologies, demand on the labor market changes, still the skills and knowledge of jobseekers do not match the market needs. The State Employment Agency (hereinafter – SEA) implements training measures for the unemployed. Nevertheless, there is a problem that the unemployed involved in training do not always want to enter the labour market, or their knowledge acquired during the training is not useful. The aim of the study is to assess the economic efficiency of the financial resources allocated for training of the unemployed persons in the context of Latvia and its regions. Research methods: monographic method, graphical method, expert survey method, correlation and regression analysis. The authors explore the use of the financial resources allocated for training and analyse its economic efficiency in Latvia and Latvia's regions. It is found that the difference in unemployment rates in the statistical regions of Latvia has significantly increased during the study period. In order to facilitate the reintegration of individuals into the labour market, more funding is provided for training in the regions with higher unemployment rates. The economic efficiency of the use of financial resources varies from region to region, both in terms of the cost of training per unemployed person involved and the number of the trainees employed after the training, and of the funding for training used in the region

Development and evaluation of a strength-based method to promote employment of work-disability benefit recipients with multiple problems

In many Western welfare states active labour market policies have been introduced, aimed at integrating the unemployed in general, and people with disabilities in particular, into the labour market. The effectiveness of these activation programs is limited and labour market participation among people with disabilities remains low. The aim of this dissertation was to study the added value of the Comprehensive Approach to Reintegrate persons with multiple problems (CARm), an holistic and Strengths based method to support clients with multiple problems by labour experts of the UWV. The method focuses mainly on the strengths of the clients, rather than their limitations. In addition, the network is actively involved and the clients wishes are the starting point for reintegration. The study reveals that 87% of the client population experience multiple problems, indicating that problems in other areas than health (including finance, education and informal care for family) can hinder finding work or returning to work. The developed method was perceived as valuable by the labour experts, but proved challenging to implement in practice, resulting in a lack of a positive effect. Nevertheless, the method fits well in current reintegration policy where the client is heard and clients are actively involved in decisions about their lives. Further research into the conditions for successful implementation in practice is therefore recommended

Investigating the Viability of Virtual Job Interview Training through Pre-ETS

This study used a between-subjects repeated measures design to determine the efficacy of virtual reality job interview training (VR-JIT) as an instrument for providing workplace readiness training under pre-ETS when compared to current real-world methods. Of the total participants (N=19), 57.89% were male and 42.11% were female, and autism (36.84%) and cognitive impairment (47.37%) were the most frequently reported diagnoses. The results of a paired samples T-test were non-significant with t (8) = 0.13, p = 0.9029 with the use of mock interviews and t (9) = 0.68, p = .5156 with the use of virtual reality. The results of an independent samples T-test of posttest VR-JIT and traditional methods scores were non-significant with t (17) = -0.13, p = 0.9002. Therefore, we conclude that neither traditional mock-interview methods nor VR-JIT produce significant differences between pre- and post-test evaluations, and there is no significant difference between results of VR-JIT and traditional methods. Despite these findings, student engagement and positive feedback within the VR-JIT group were notably increased compared to traditional methods. Future research of VR-JIT across a longer period and within alternative settings is warranted

Empowering Adults to Thrive at Work: Personal Success Skills for 21st Century Jobs: A Report on Promising Research and Practice

The growing significance of personal success skills has been a challenge for those trying to help struggling adults get and keep good jobs, and grow in careers. Workforce development programs tend to focus on occupational skills, like welding, truck driving, and phlebotomy. And "job readiness training" in these programs too often means resume writing and interviewing -- two skills no employer asks for. Three reasons for this collective neglect are (1) a lack of clarity about what, specifically, we're talking about when we refer to these skills; (2) common belief that these factors, which seem in sum to constitute one's personality, aren't going to change in adulthood; and (3) uncertainty about the best ways to help adults develop them. A new study conducted by SRI International for the Joyce Foundation addresses each of these hurdles. It supplies a coherent framework for understanding what the skills are, summarizes research that shows they can still be developed well into adulthood (old dogs CAN learn new tricks), and highlights effective programs around the country that are already empowering so many struggling adults to successfully pursue quality employment. This report is a charge to educators and workforce development providers, human services agencies, policymakers, foundations and researchers to begin addressing the economic opportunity challenge of our time. SRI has provided recommendations to each of these groups on how to get started. Now, it's our job to take up the charge

An Overview of the Performance and Potential of Public Works Programmes in South Africa

In this paper simple models are used to estimate the impact and fiscal feasibility of 'expanded' public works programmes using the limited data available. The employment creation potential of a R1.2 billion investment in labour intensive construction over three-years is found to represent a maximum of 0.5% of unemployed workdays per annum. The cost to the fiscus of an expanded public works programme able to offer part time employment to a significant number of workers (3.2 million) is found to be between R17 and R28 billion per annum.

Educational choices and the selection process before and after compulsory schooling

The aim of this paper is to analyze the selection process at work before and after compulsory schooling by assessing the determinants of school failures, dropouts and upper secondary school decisions of young Italians. The dataset is built combining individual data by the Labor Force Survey and aggregate data on local labor markets and school supply by the Italian National Statistic Institute and the Minister of Public Education, respectively. Our results show that school failure (i.e., repetition of a year) is highly correlated with the family background, and it strongly affects later choices. Early school leaving and the upper secondary school choice are mainly a reflection of the parents’ socioeconomic status. The effectiveness of the educational system when narrowing the failure risk and the scholastic outflow relies on the widespread adoption of full-time attendance in compulsory school, the quality of the school infrastructures and the fewer teachers with temporary contracts.School failures, early dropout, school choice, social mobility, Italian education system

Development and Testing of an Occupational Therapy Intervention to Promote Medication Adherence

Many persons with chronic health conditions fail to take their medications as prescribed, resulting in declines in health and function. Unfortunately, current interventions for medication nonadherence are not very effective. Medication adherence is a daily activity, which many occupational therapists believe would be responsive to occupational therapy intervention. Unfortunately, few resources support occupational therapists in this role. The purpose of this dissertation is to create the foundational work for occupational therapy medication adherence interventions. In this dissertation, I accomplish five objectives. First, I identify the role of occupational therapy practitioners in the medication adherence field. Second, I create a manualized occupational therapy intervention for medication adherence named the Integrative Medication Self-Management Intervention (or IMedS). Third, I develop a training program to teach the IMedS intervention to entry-level practitioners. Fourth, I investigate the preliminary effectiveness of this intervention in a small two-group experimental blind pre-post randomized controlled trial. Finally, I explore the feasibility of continued research for the IMedS intervention. Findings from this study support occupational therapy’s role in medication adherence intervention and future research in this area

The Integrated Employment Success Tool (IESTTM): Development and Trial of an Autism-Specific Workplace Tool to Assist Employers in Modifying the Work Environment

Employers play a key role in supporting work participation for individuals with autism. This thesis developed a world first autism-specific workplace tool to assist employers in modifying the work environment. The workplace tool was most beneficial to employers with no previous autism experience and those without external support, and will continue to assist employers in making use of this untapped pool of talent in the workforce