IICT Skills and Employment Opportunities

Abstract

This study analyzes information communication technology (ICT) use and skills of workers, and their effects on employment opportunities. I employ a confidential data set provided by Statistical Institute of Turkey that includes detailed surveys on ICT use by households and individuals. The data contains information on ICT skills: starting from the most basic ones such as using an excel spreadsheet and uploading or transferring files, to more advanced skills such as knowing a programming language and solving computer problems. Workers that have ICT skills are more likely to be employed when individual and household level observables are held constant. However, this positive relationship is due to the workers who gained these skills at work. This data suggests there is no causal direction from ICT skills to employment and the positive relationship is due to endogeneity.Information communication technologies, ICT skills, employment