manual for the undertakingof local employment diagnoses

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PROMOTES: CO-FINANCIE:

MANUAL FOR THE UNDERTAKING OF LOCAL EMPLOYMENT DIAGNOSES

“THE PANEL OF EXPERTS AS AN ANALYTICAL TOOL”

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“THE PANEL OF EXPERTS AS AN ANALYTICAL TOOL”

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Edited by:The Municipal Institute for Training and Employment, (IMFE in Spanish).City Council of Malaga.

Writing:F. Alberto Vallejo Peña / José F. Troyano Pérez Department of Sociology of the University of Malaga.

Technical Team:Susana Catalán Navarro Technical Coordinator of the Intersecciones Project, Instituto Municipal para la Formación y el Empleo. IMFE. City Council of Malaga.

Initiative co-financed by the Government of Andalusia and the European Social Fund within the framework of the Proyecto Intersecciones of the Euroempleo Programme

Design: bRIDAPrinting: P&R GraficsAuthorised Registration Number: MA-616-2012

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01 FOREWORD (INSTITUTIONAL) .................................................................... 06

02 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................ 08

03 SOME ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS .................................................................... 10

04 OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................. 12

05 METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS .......................................................................... 13

5.1 DESIGN OF THE DIAGNOSIS ........................................................................ 13

5.2 DEVELOPMENT OF A PANEL OF EXPERTS ................................................... 16

5.2.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE PANELLISTS ...................................................... 17

5.2.2 PLANNING AND COORDINATION .................. . ........................................... 20

5.3 CONSTRUCTING A NETWORK OF COLLABORATORS .................................... 215.4 INSTITUTIONS OF REFERENCE AND SECONDARY SOURCES ......................... 24

06ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTRODUCTION ............................... 27

INDEX07SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MUNICIPALITY ................ 28

7.1 TERRITORY AND POPULATION ......................................... .................... 287.2 LABOUR MARKET ................................................................................. 29

08ANALYSIS OF THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET ............................................ 30

8.1 IDENTIFYING SOME KEY POINTS ...................................................... 308.1.1 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN MY ENVIRONMENT ..................... 308.1.2 THREE TRAINING GAPS DETECTED IN MY ENVIRONMENT .............. 318.1.3 THREE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED ................................................................................ 338.1.4 SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT ............................................................... 338.2 MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT MY LABOUR MARKET ......................... 348.2.1 THE MYTH VERSES THE PROVEN FACT ............................................ 348.2.2 IDENTIFYING REALITIES WITHIN OUR LABOUR MARKET ................. 418.2.3 SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................. 44

09BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INTERNET SOURCES ................................................ 48

ANNEXE 1DIAGNOSES DEVELOPMENT SHEET ............................................................ 51

ANNEXE 2SHEET WITH BASIC DATA AND INTERVIEW TEMPLATES .......................... 59

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01FOREWORD

Traditionally employment has been the primary concern of people from Malaga and Spain, a situation that has worsened during these tough times. The figures, and above all, the suffe-ring from this social drama from within, has left citizens in a situation of great difficulty, with the feeling of hopelessness, with such precedents only be found in times of grave economic crises. Therefore, the burden of res-ponsibility upon public authori-ties to remedy this situation is greater than ever, and it requi-res a special effort regarding all types or employment initiatives. The Municipal Institute for Trai-ning and Employment (IMFE in Spanish), and the Local Admi-nistration join forces with other Administrations, including the business network, in order to support and improve the emplo-yment situation of groups with special difficulties, concentra-ting on daily work in order to help these groups that are at a high risk of social exclusion.

To contribute to this mission, from the IMFE, we present our “Manual for the Undertaking of Local Employment Diagnoses”. It is a guide focused on facilita-ting the every-day work of tech-nicians, providing an easy way to collect essential information about their local environment, including their social and emplo-yment problems, as well as identifying the key factors which will allow them to improve their interpretation of their situation and that of the users of the ser-vice, and thus provide a more effect outlook. Faced with the temptation of treating emplo-yability as merely an indivi-dual phenomenon, we intend to highlight the systematic nature of employability and its heavy dependence on the local context. The document has been develo-ped following necessary flexi-bility and adaptation to context, which will stimulate the inves-tigative and research facets of the specialists. This way we aim to offer a support tool for

FOREWORD

career advisers and local deve-lopment agents, as well as for all those responsible for desig-ning employment mechanisms and projects, covering careers advice and professional training that, above all, will be based on their action in understanding the medium, experience and dedica-tion, thus contributing to building a better future.

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Esther Molina Crespo

Delegate of the Government Department For the Promotion of Business and Employment

Vice-president of the IMFE

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02INTRODUCTION

This manual has been produced within the framework of the Inter-secciones Project, promoted by the Municipal Institute for Training and Employment (IMFE) of the City Coun-cil of Malaga within the Euroempleo Programme, financed by the Euro-pean Social Fund and by the Emplo-yment Service of Andalusia, part of The Employment Council of the Government of Andalusia.

The objective of this work is to pro-vide those responsible for career guidance and employment with a guide that allows them to advise their users more accurately based on analysis from their own environ-ment. The reasons for producing this document are, firstly, the lack of similar tools present in the career advice services, and secondly, the need to summarise the precise essential information for the under-taking of this difficult task in just one document. The guide shall com-pel the specialist to research and order the fundamental information on employment in their area; there-fore the results applied by this guide shall be very different, and as varied

as the nature of the local environ-ments of our area. In addition to per-sonalising the work in this way, the tough task of treating each consul-tancy meeting and each individual case differently, will have to be dealt with, adapting to their needs through their experience and techniques.

The methodology which supports the development of this guide is based on finding the highest common denomi-nator. Every municipality, as well as every neighbourhood or district, has a number of features within their own labour market which professio-nals have to deal with, which create, the same barriers, again and again. These should be identified before-hand, classified and then assigned a strategy in order that they may be overcome. In this sense, we can offer as an example the requirement to speak English within the munici-palities in the western parts of the Costa del Sol. This is a requirement that affects all manner of positions of activity and category, including waiters, commercial representati-ves or personnel manager of a hotel group. The prior experience of appli-

INTRODUCTION

cants for such positions will lead us to relegate aspects of English lear-ning that do not achieve the desired continuity and results in the subject, and replace them with others, that offer more promise, and which have achieved employment integration thanks to improvements made in this language. This methodology is not at all at odds with the personal and individualised nature of under-taking career guidance. The stan-dards that the specialist generates within their own environment shall be applied, adapted or even omitted, based on the specifics of the subject under assessment. In order to achieve these goals the manual focuses its methodology on the application of the technique of using a panel of experts. This means that it will be the professionals them-selves, with their own experience in the local environment, object of the study, who will be responsible for guiding the actions of the per-son charged with carrying out the diagnosis. Furthermore, the panel of experts itself will be the basis for establishing the guidelines on which

the employment specialist builds their own network of collaborators (other experts from the local admi-nistration, entrepreneurs and trai-ners), along with the support of new technologies. With the exchange of information and services these pro-fessionals will generate confidence and make the road to solving these issues a much smoother one.

Ultimately, the guide aims to faci-litate the work of career guidance services through the methodical classification of information and the provision of advice for its applica-tion, using the panel of experts as an essential technique. This work is not intended to be presented as a magic recipe; in fact the added value is in the final product: the application of which makes the professional use his or her knowledge of the medium, their technique and their instinct.

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03SOME ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

It is required that the terms defined below are specified in order to facilitate the proper development of our research.

Area of influenceRefers to the areas of the environ-ment within our municipality or neighbourhood with which there is an intense exchange in labour rela-tions. Although it should be identi-fied and described by the specialist himself according to the context; places that are within one hour on public transport from the centre are proposed for reference purpo-ses. However, this criterion cannot be applied in the case of a rural or mountainous environment where the population has had to get used to longer journeys.

Long-term unemployment Someone who remains 12 months or more without any recorded labour activity. Moreover, this is the time standard currently used by the insti-tutions of the European Union.

Frictional unemploymentThe time that reflects the short periods of transition experienced by jobseekers from leaving one emplo-yment post until such time that they find themselves reemployed.

Youth employment/unemployment Those aged between 16 and 24. This standard is currently used by the administrations of the EU, while some Spanish and Italian institu-tions have used 29 as the highest age of the age group, and in certain classifications 35 has been used.

Source of employment According to the white paper of the European Union on growth, competi-tiveness and employment (1993) it is the economic sector, or part of the economic sector, which is expected to require a significant number of jobs in the near future, mainly as a consequence of economic, social and technological transformations.

SOME ESSENTIAL CONCEPTS

Pull ou push regionsFor Ravenstein this refers to regions that attract immigrant populations due to its dynamic labour market and the functionality of its services (pull) or, conversely, regions that pressure the local population to seek better opportunities in other, more developed, regions (push). .

EmployabilityPotential capacity, availability and mobility of an individual or group to integrate themselves into employ-ment within a particular market.

Panel of expertsQualitative technique of conversa-tion in which a group of specialists on a particular topic express their view on the subject, in order to sub-sequently engage in a discussion on the possible solutions and alter-natives so as to improve the social reality of the matter under investi-gation (Vallés, 2002).

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04OBJECTIVES

The guide intends to be a working instrument for specialist and career counsellors that carry out their work at a local level. It is a self-taught tool that allows the specialist to analyse the employment situation within their own environment (neighbour-hood, district or locality) whose core tool is the development of a panel of experts, laying the necessary foun-dations by which to assess the situa-tion of jobseekers. The final objec-

tive is, ultimately, to increase the potential of specialists in understan-ding the possibilities of local emplo-yment, including the improvement of results achieved from careers advice. The present document offers essential indicators for carrying out a socio-economic description of the municipality and its area of influence, so that subsequently, a complete analysis of the local labour market can be ascertained.

OBJECTIVES

5.1 DESIGN OF THE DIAGNOSIS This guide intends to help the specia-list carry out informative research on their local environment which helps to improve the potential of the advice given to the user. The method is designed to start working at the individual level: only the professional can embark on the work (although the incorporation of external colla-boration is expected). Moreover, there is also the possibility of dele-gating tasks throughout the team, if there is one, although, in this case, it is recommended to closely monitor these actions taking an active coor-dinating role. The work, whose time is adjusted to the individual level, is quantified between 50 and 60 hours of application (see the time alloca-tion proposal for 58 hours in Table 1). Although, we intend to highlight the flexible nature of the tool which can be applied either in whole or in part, according to the requirements of the professional, their possibilities, their previous academic studies and the context of the location itself.

TABLE 1. DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS: TIME ALLOCATION PROPOSAL

A mixed methodology is proposed for carrying out the diagnosis: qua-litative and quantitative. Based on a qualitative design, it is suggested to incorporate a quantitative supple-ment, using the complete and fre-quently accessible statistical infor-mation offered by public and private bodies from different fields.

05METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS

6 HOURS

58 HOURS

20 HOURS

10 HOURS

10 HOURS

3 HOURS

9 HOURSPreparatory tasks of the panel of experts

Total

Drafting of the diagnosis (report)

Subsequent consultation with collaborators

Document revision

Coordination tasks and construction of the network of collaborators

Panel of experts (applica-tion of the technique)

METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS FOR THE DEVELOPEMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS DESIGN OF THE DIAGNOSIS

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The steps to be followed for the undertaking of the diagnosis are described here. The process starts with the preparation and imple-mentation of a panel of experts to focus on the study; after which a permanent network of collabo-rators is formed that includes the panellists and other advisers that they themselves appoint, in order to finally complete the research of the local labour environment based on our recommendations and to write up the corresponding diagnosis report. (See Table 2).

TABLE 2. PROCESS OF OBTAINING DATA FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS.

The final diagnostic report should reflect the activities carried out, the

information obtained on our environ-ment, including the main conclusion and future guidelines for action. With regard to its structure, it is sugges-ted that at least three blocks should be included. The first of these is an introduction (1) in which we set out our initial approach (1.1), objectives (1.2), and we describe the techniques applied (1.3): panel of experts and secondary research using quantita-tive and qualitative data. The second block is a socioeconomic charac-terisation of the environment (2) in which we reflect the local situation in two essential aspects: land and population (2.1), and the labour mar-ket (2.2). In the third and final sec-tion we present the results of our application in an effort to describe our local labour market (3), within which we identify some essential key points (3.1): the professional profiles most applied for, three training gaps in my environment, three training and employment initiatives that are useful to jobseekers and sources of employment). Finally, reflection is given which highlights the labour myths and realities within our envi-ronment (3.2) and a SWOT analysis (3.3). (See Table 3).

Specialist / Coordinator ¨ Panel of experts

Experts + new contributors¨ NETWORK OF COLLABORATORS

DIAGNOSIS OF THE LABOUR MARKET

METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS FOR THE DEVELOPEMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS DESIGN OF THE DIAGNOSIS

1. INTRODUCTION2. SOCIOECONOMIC CHA-RACTERISATION OF THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

3. APPLYING ANALYTI-CAL TECHNIQUES TO THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET

1.1 Inititial planning1.2 Objetives1.3 Methodology

2.1 Territory and population2.2 Labour Market

3.1 IDENTIFYING THE KEY POINTS- Job opportunities in my environment- Three training gaps- Three training and employment initiative- Employment sources3.2 Myths and realities of the labour market3.3 SWOT Analysis

TABLE 3. DIAGNOSIS OF LOCAL EMPLOYMENT: STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

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5.2 DEVELOPMENT OF A PANEL OF EXPERTS Generate, select and order the infor-mation necessary for the head of employment in the development of this diagnosis, it will be required that they obtain advice from profes-sionals in their field. Moreover, it is appropriate for these advisers to have undertaken part of their career within the local environment under analysis, since this way a more focused view can be provided regarding the pro-blems and needs of that environment.

The technique of the panel of experts consists of generating a forum of spe-cialists on a specific matter on which they offer their views, in order to subsequently engage in a discussion about possible solutions and alterna-tives for improving the social reality under investigation. In our diagnosis this technique has a core character and becomes a methodological star-ting-off point which will result in the forming of a network of collaborators, thus facilitating our research, and in turn, allowing us to write up the final report in a reliable manner.

This technique belongs to an area of techniques known as conversation techniques (Vallés, 2002), among which the group discussion can be highlighted –all classic techniques within the social sciences sphere- which should not be confused with the panel of experts. The difference between both techniques lies in the fact that while the group discus-sion involves social actors that take part in the problem independently from their technical role, the panel of experts includes specialists in the field who provide a professional or technical perspective. Secondly, while in the group discussion sponta-neity of discourse is valued, the panel responds to planned and structured tasks. The participants usually pre-pare the subject matter beforehand and make a brief statement before beginning their approach. Finally, we should highlight the fact that the group discussion usually takes place during one meeting, while the panel of experts usually carry out their discussions in multiple stages (in addition to said preparation, it invol-ves the exchange of initiatives and subsequent contact).

DEVELOPMENT OF A PANEL OF EXPERTS

5.2.1 IDENTIFICATION OF THE EXPERTS (PANELLISTS)In addition to the abovementioned documentary work, one of the keys to our understanding our labour envi-ronment, investigating its weaknes-ses, its potential and its opportunities, is in the use of specialists and profes-sionals that have worked in our envi-ronment on matters of employment, and who therefore have first-hand experience, such as fully understan-ding the peculiarities and characteris-tics of our municipality. The technique of the panel may exceptionally turn to forms of collaboration which are not strictly professional, but which are considered useful in dealing with specific points of view in matters such as personal experience and/or the undertaking of a specific role. For example, the contribution of an unem-ployed person over the age of 45 with experience in searching for work that falls within the scope of the study.

Below twelve specialist and profes-sional profiles are highlighted, corres-ponding to potential contributors regarding the social-labour situation of their environment. It is advisable for

them to work in a team together with their colleagues and try to identify two professionals per profile in order to come up with an initial list. Once this list has been produced, the corres-ponding contact should be made in order to confirm the attendance and participation of a representative of the majority of profiles highlighted. It is recommended to have between 6 and 8 key contributors in order to form the panel of experts. CHARACTERISATION OF THE PROFILES

A. SOCIAL SCIENTISTAn expert from the field of Social Sciences who works professiona-lly at universities and/or research centres, and who has undertaken a large part of his or her research studying employment and labour relations in the area. Their scientific activity in local studies over the last ten years will be particularly valued.

B. LABOUR UNION SPECIALIST A professional from the labour-union sector who has developed their work within the area of emplo-yment creation, or equivalent, from

IDENTIFICATION OF THE EXPERTS (PANELLISTS)

METHODOLOGY AND TOOLS FOR THE DEVELOPEMENT OF THE DIAGNOSIS

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one of the majority unions. Their experience in the field (more than 5 years) will be positively valued, as well as having experience in a more technical, rather than political, role. Specifically, we are not looking for the political trade-unionist, rather the advisor.

C. LOCAL BUSINESS PERSONSomeone who has an active repre-sentation in the area of local emplo-yment. Particular value will be given to someone who has undertaken intense business activity in the area for an extensive period (more than 15 years) which allows them to eva-luation social, economic and labour changes experienced in the city.

D. PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISING IN THE LABOUR INTEGRATION OF IMMIGRANTSLabour integration representative who has been involved in defending the interests of immigrants, in the capacity of providing advice, mana-gement or support, who can provide an overview of the guidelines which govern migration flows in the area, including employment barriers

encountered by immigrants, as well as the integration networks and strategies used by these groups. Extensive experience in this role will be valued (more than 10 years).

E. PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISING IN THE LABOUR INTEGRATION OF THE OVER 45’SLabour integration representative who has been involved in defending the interests of the over 45’s, in the capacity of providing advice, mana-gement or support. Their expe-rience in this role will be valued (at least 10 years), with said expe-rience having been acquired in the area. This person shall be able to provide us with an overview of the guidelines and predominant pro-cesses carried out by those who form part of this group, including the main social and psychological barriers to integration.

F. PROFESSIONAL SPECIALISING IN THE LABOUR INTEGRATION OF YOUNG PEOPLELabour integration representative who has been involved in provi-ding advice, management or sup-

ELABORATION D´UN PANEL DÉXPERTS

port to young people of different social classes and qualifications with regard to their labour integra-tion process. Their experience in this role will be valued (at least 10 years). This contributor should be able to identify the main barriers encountered by young people, diffe-rentiating between the conditions faced by university graduates, gra-duates of Professional Training, secondary education and the rest.

G. MANAGER OR SPECIALIST FROM AN NGO OR ORGANISATION WITH EXPERIENCE IN PROVIDING CAREERS ADVICE FOR WOMEN Despite the important progress made in gender equality in our society within the scope of emplo-yment, inequalities are still evident. We are interested in collaborating with a specialist with comprehen-sive experience in the difficulties faced by these women, who face severe barriers to things such as achieving a work-life balance, gaps in training and the weight of tradi-tional male dominance.

H. MANAGER OR SPECIALIST FROM A PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WHO HAS WORKED ON CAREER ADVICE PROGRAMMES WITH THE POPULA-TION OF THE AREAThis collaborator should have at least 5 years’ experience working in career advice programmes, preferably in direct contact with the jobseeker.

I. MANAGER OR SPECIALIST IN SCHOOLS - WORKSHOPS AND / OR EMPLOYMENT WORKSHOPS IN THE AREA The school-workshop programme already has a long tradition in our country (27 years) and is highly con-sidered by the Government both because of their results and because of the social relevance of their work with young people at high risk of social exclusion, the under 25’s. The employment workshops, meanwhile, accommodate the over 25’s, who still have problems with regard to social integration. We require a manager or specialist with at least 10 years’ experience working on these pro-jects, having acquired a large part of this experience in our area.

IDENTIFICATION DES EXPERTS (PANELISTES)


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J. UNEMPLOYED / OVER 45’SIn this particular case it is recom-mended to use more than one con-tributor, given the diversity of cir-cumstances and different points of view. A more personal and real point of view on the phenomenon will provide us with a more pro-found interpretation of the causes, and will enable us to avoid stereoty-pes associated with those in situa-tions of social exclusion.

K. YOUTH (UNDER 25 AND NON-UNIVERSITY GRADUATES) IN SITUATIONS OF LONG-TERM UNEM-PLOYMENTAs with the previous case, it is recommended that more than one contributor be used for this pro-file. The testimonies from our youth regarding their experiences and involvement with the labour market, either successful or otherwise, also provide a significant perspective by which to guide our actions. L. EQUALITY SPECIALIST / REPRE-SENTATIVEA specialist who works in public administration and who has in-

depth knowledge of our local envi-ronment and at least three years’ experience working with jobseekers in the area covering different profi-les and economic sectors.

5.2.2 PLANNING AND COORDINATION Once we have obtained our contribu-tions we will explain the objectives of our panel to our key contributors, including the different phases esta-blished. After the first contact, the basic documentation will be sent to them (letter of invitation, description of the technique, timetable and objec-tives) and –at the discretion of the labour specialist- bibliographic sour-ces or documents that are considered particularly suitable for the prepara-tion of the meeting will be added. They will then be asked to complete a short identification sheet such as an initial questionnaire regarding the local employment situation, (see annexe 2).

The following structure will be followed in the meeting of the panellists:

1. INTRODUCTION OF THE COORDINATORThe specialist introduces the partici-pants and gives them 10 minutes each

to present their initial approaches.

2. INITIAL CONTRIBUTIONSA full round of contributions from the participants takes place.

3. DISCUSSION A debate opens up so that the pane-llists can provide contrasting views.

4. CONCLUSION The coordinator will try to draw the most relevant conclusions obtained from the discussion, highlighting in particular the points that have been most agreed on. These conclusions will generate some unanswered questions and raise points that still require resolution, therefore the work will be divided among the panellists and it will be requested that the task be resolved within a timeframe agreed by the group. 5. REVIEWOnce the established period for the review is up the coordinator of the panel will contact the panellists by email, requesting the answers to the questions and points that still require resolution. At this stage the

intention is to achieve a more pro-found level in addressing the points raised by the coordinator, resolving those questions that were not fully resolved after the meeting of the panel of experts.

Having concluded the development of the technique, the coordinator writes a record or summary of the main conclusions and proposals made by the team.

5.3 CONSTRUCTING A NETWORK OF COLLA-BORATORS During the various stages of the meeting of the panel of experts it will be essential to create a climate of positive collaboration among the participants. Under these terms we can then ask the panellists to collaborate with us via a network in order to provide continual fee-dback on the diagnosis. To these contributions we should add others that have been identified as useful during the stages that have already been carried out: both the informa-

ELABORATION D´UN PANEL DÉXPERTS

PLANNING AND COORDINATION

CONSTRUCTING A NETWORK OF COLLABORATORS


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tive research of the group and the recommendations provided by the panellists themselves will enable us to identify the new collabora-tors. During the process it can be observed how this network is built naturally; sometimes the panellists themselves will provide contacts and sources without the need to expressly request them. The only aspect of unavoidable control in the construction of this network is its balance and impartiality (diversity of professional profiles, roles and ideo-logical and political persuasions). Our purpose will be to use the internet as a means to create an exchange network of consulta-tion which we can carry out via a blog, or, with a simple list of email addresses or membership of social networks which have a broader scope than professional networks. The specialist will decide whether to use this possibility, both options at the same time, or opt for another alternative offered by the internet, such as the large social networks. It will be important to use this resou-rce for both the development of the

diagnostic report and for the sub-sequent follow-up. We should state the network alone will be solid, if it is reinforced by social participation, trying to strengthen institutional commitments: invitation to semi-nars, acts, cocktails, etc… Regar-dless of whether the collaborators can attend or not, remind them of the importance of their contribution and participation. The technology does not remain steadfast alone, although it has been demonstra-ted that it can be of great support. Remember that the regularity and consistency are essential for main-taining contacts and therefore the network. Using an example: if we needed to know about reliable tra-ining initiatives on new accounting software offered in our region, we would soon get a couple of good recommendations asking all our collaborators for the reference.

In a company like ours, characte-rised by its utilitarianism and indi-vidualism, we can achieve, despite everything, some reactions among our peers that pleasantly surprise us. We often avoid asking for collabo-

CONSTRUCTING A NETWORK OF COLLABORATORS

ration or favours from people within our network so as not to create feelings of awkwardness or com-promising situations. However, we propose something that is as simple as asking a question to a network or collaborators via an e-resource. Furthermore, it can become a cha-llenge in which others have the chance to demonstrate their abi-lity and experience. When a good result is achieved it is important to be redundant in appreciation and remind collaborators that they can also count on your help. Moreover, if the network perceives that a parti-cular collaborator only asks for the information necessary in order for them to continue with their work, and they do not abuse the time and effort of the other collaborators, then its attitude will continue to be open to other collaborations. To this end the feedback from the process is fundamental, if it is not possi-ble to offer compensation, offering repeated gratitude may be enough. It should be highlighted what a good collaboration climate can be achie-ved with such a small investment of time and resources. Moreover,

by adopting the right attitude the results obtained in our environment can be surprising: sometimes peo-ple grow as a result of the favours they do for others. In order to illus-trate this we can look at the work of Díaz Living (2005) in her social-psychology manual, which provides an interesting take on the ability to ask favours1.

-1Sometimes asking a favour from someone is safer than actually doing a favour for them. In this sense, there is an anecdote about Benjamin Franklin who got a friend to ask him for a favour. This friend did not have a good relationship with one member of the Assembly of Pennsylvania. After some time he approached him and asked if he would allow him to see a book in his personal library. His collea-gue accepted the request and from that moment on his behaviour was much more cordial (Rosen-zweig: 1972). The causes of this are connected with the favour being linked with flattery: it expresses that someone likes something the other person has (Jecker and Landy: 1969).

Extract from Díaz Living, R. (2002): Psicología social de las Américas. Pearson Educación. Mexico.


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5.4 INSTITUTIONS OF REFERENCE AND SECONDARY SOURCES

LOCAL SOURCESAmong the first steps it is important that, aside from the broader institu-tional resources, local entities are also approached with specific and quality sources published in the neighbourhood, district or munici-pality. To this end the following are useful: socio-economic diagnoses of the area, evaluations carried out according to sector, impact studies, as well as historical documents from local reporters. Documen-tation generated by some private companies should also be conside-red, especially those companies that operate in the area. Some of these documents are for public viewing and therefore are easy to access.

RECOMMENDED INSTITUTIONS

Bodies of the European Union- EUROSTAT. Statistics from the European Commission

National Administration- Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Institute for Women’s Affairs- Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality. Youth Institute- Ministry of Work and Immigration- Economic and Social Council- Centre for Sociological Research (CIS in Spanish)

Regional Administration - Centre for Andalusian Studies - Institute of Statistics of Andalusia- Youth Institute of Andalusia- Employment Service of Andalusia (SAE in Spanish)

Local Administration- The Municipal Institute for Training and Employment (IMFE in Spanish)

National and Regional Bodies and Institutions- General Council of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation. - National Institute of Statistics (INE in Spanish)- Institute of Advanced Social Studies (IESA- CSIC).- Workers’ Commissions (CC.OO in Spanish)

INSTITUTIONS OF REFERENCE AND SECONDARY SOURCES

- General Workers’ Union (UGT in Spanish)- Andalusian Business Confedera-tion (CEA in Spanish)- Encuentro Foundation- La Caixa Foundation

SOME USEFUL WEBSITE FOR MY DIAGNOSIS

Bodies of the European UnionEurobarometer of the European Commission.http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion

National AdministrationMinistry of Work and Immigration: Statistics, Permanent Observatories of Work and Immigration Conditions.http://www.mtin.es

Ministry of the Environment. Observatory of Sustainabilityhttp://www.sostenibilidad-es.org/

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperationhttp://www.maec.es

Regional AdministrationGovernment of Andalusia. (Argos Observatory)http://www.juntadeandalucia.es/

Local AdministrationMunicipal Institute for Training and Employment in Malaga. Local Employment Observatory.http://imfe.malaga.eu

National and Regional Bodies and Institutions (Databases and Studies)Opinion Barometers of the CIS (Centre for Sociological Research)http://www.cis.es

Social Barometers of Spain CIP (Research Centre for Peace) http://www.fuhem.es/cip-ecosocial/

IESA – CSIC. Institute of Advanced Social Studies – Superior Coun-cil for Scientific Research. (Work Documents)http://www.iesa.csic.es

Economic and Social Council (reports)http://www.ces.es/memorias.jsp


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Superior Council of the Chamber of Commerce (business studies)http://www.camaras.org

National Institute of Statistics (EPA and Training and Employment)http://www.ine.es

CIEDES Foundation (Publications and Statistics).http://www.ciedes.es

Occupational Observatory of the University of Coruñahttp://www.observatorio.udc.es

ASEP/JDS (Databank in Social sciences)http://www.jdsurvey.net/

Other Employment SitesParo y empleo (blog). Information about unemployment, employment policy, availabilities and training.http://paroyempleo.blogspot.com/ Portal parados: information on public and private employment.http://www.portalparados.es/

Sieres (Socio-labour intervention).http://www.sieres.org

Infoempleo.http://www.infoempleo.com

Infojobs.http://www.infojobs.net

06DEVELOPMENT OF THE

INTRODUCTION OF THE REPORTIn conducting our diagnostic report we should include an introduction in which, firstly, we provide a brief description of our starting-off point (context), including the reasons why we have developed the diagnosis in this way. We can call this first sub-section “initial planning” (see Table 3). In a second step we write up the objectives of our report, an area in which the point of view of the specialist is essential: we must remember to bear in mind that this

is personalised work and has been adapted to specific needs and a specific context. Finally, we des-cribe the methodology used in our diagnosis. It is recommended that said methodology includes a com-plete description of our panel of experts, as well as including –either in this section or in the form of an appendix – the summary of the con-clusions drafted once the panel has finished (see Section 5.2).

DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE REPORT

INSTITUTIONS OF REFERENCE AND SECONDARY SOURCES


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07LOCAL SOCIOECONOMIC

CHARACTERISATIONOnce the panel has concluded, we intend for each specialist, careers adviser or working team, to deve-lop their own local socioeconomic characterisation. It is recommended that said groups use bibliographic and electronic sources provided by this guide, including the sources studied by the specialist himself in his own local environment. With the purpose of appropriately contribu-ting to the structure of this report, it is recommended to group the data together into two large blocks of variables: (A) territory and popula-tion, and (B) labour market. Below we set out a list of some of the most significant variables which should constitute both blocks. In the event that it should be required to add other necessary variables in order to describe the local market, due to their descriptive capacity of the con-text under investigation, then these variables should be included. Fur-thermore, in each block a brief con-text can be written with comments and qualitative observations which are necessary for a better interpre-tation of the social reality. This way we will have the level of frequency

necessary in order to measure the impact of different phenomena within our environment: the data and their reading in context. E.g. the impact on a particular municipal border of a new industry that offers 400 direct jobs will depend to a large extent on the size of the population.

7.1 TERRITORY AND POPULATION

REFERENCE VARIABLES:

Population

Settlement: The process of settle-ment of a particular human group in a particular region.

Real growth: growth generated in a given population within a given period by calculating net migration and natural rate of growth.

Natural rate of growth: growth resulting from the subtraction bet-ween births and deaths in a popula-tion in a given period.

LOCAL SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISATION

TERRITORY AND POPULATION

Net migration: the resulting balance between immigration and emigra-tion of a particular place.

Birth rate: proportional number of births in population and certain terms.

Mortality rate: rate of deaths produ-ced in a population and within a cer-tain period.

Structure by sex and age.

Distribution by educational level.

Other variables can be added that are considered relevant to the local study.

NOTE 1 : in order to complete this sec-tion it is recommended to use data from the National Institute of Statis-tics (www.ine.es).

7.2 LABOUR MARKET

REFERENCE VARIABLES:

Activity

Occupation

Distribution of employment by sectors Unemployment and its evolution over the last three years

Number of companies

Distribution of companies based on the number of workers

Average life of the companies

Distribution of the companies by sector

Other variables can be added that are considered relevant to the local study.

NOTE 2: in this section it is recommended to use the data from the Active Population Survey (www.ine.es), as well as the local economy and employment observatories.

LABOUR MARKET

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08ANALYSIS OF THE

LOCAL LABOUR MARKET 8.1 IDENTIFYING SOME KEY POINTS The sheets indicated below should be completed using the qualitative and quantitative information pro-vided by the sources attached. It seeks to uncover key elements that will enable a better understanding of the profile of the municipality in the area of labour integration.

8.1.1 MOST SOUGHT OCCUPATIONSIdentifying the professional catego-ries or groups most requested by the companies and by the administration, which therefore generate opportuni-ties for the jobseeker, is a technically complicated task. The experts handle data on these matters with caution due to the complex and systemic nature of the job market. In order to facilitate this task the concept of most sought occupations2, has been deve-loped, understood as: categories of occupation whose situation in the mar-ket, in comparison with others, implies

-2 It is recommended to look at the report on most sought occupations 2010 of the Argos Observatory

better employment possibilities for the jobseeker.

Among the most widely accepted indicators for identifying the most sought occupations is the num-ber of contracts awarded in the corresponding category in the pre-vious year. However, this indicator is relative, since there are profiles offered with a high number of pla-ces by companies that are, at the same time, offset by a high demand of workers, thus in this case, we should rule out using the most sought occupations category. E.g. a specific establishment could offer numerous positions in the category of “assistant waiter” in comparison with others, but this is of less sig-nificance if it is a category that has many jobseekers that are capable of filling the position.

In order to overcome these difficul-ties in measurements, the competent authorities accompany this variable (number of contracts awarded) with other indicators that help decipher situations of employment opportu-nity. Among these measures is the

ANALYSIS OF THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET

IDENTIFYING SOME KEY POINTS

recommendation to use the yearly variation rate in the number of hired personnel within the category analy-sed. In the example provided in Table 4 the behaviour of two different pro-fessional profiles is set out, which have been classified as sought occu-pations by the specialists from their administration (home-care assistants and bakery operatives). Despite the differences in the number of contracts awarded in the previous year –much more in the first category-, a greater annual variation in the second cate-gory places it also in the category of most sought occupations.

TABLE 4. MOST SOUGHT OCCUPA-TIONS ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF CONTRACTS AWARDED AND ITS VARIATION IN ONE YEAR

Home-Care Assistans 9502 Contracts / Annual variation 49,51%-Bakery Operatives 693 Contracts / Annual variation 145,74- Source: ARGOS; Andalusia, 2nd Quarter 2009.

Therefore, the data should be studied more closely at the local level and a list of 6 professions should be deve-loped that can be identified as emplo-yment opportunities. It is also impor-tant to refine these data by means of the assessment of our collabo-rators, meaning, to accompany the data with the technical interpretation of the specialists. These observa-tions will be useful when providing careers advice and will help to avoid distortion of information as a result of hearsay: sometimes it is believed that the development of a professio-nal guarantees job placement, and this is not the case, however we can find some professionals that are well placed in the official categorisation that dash our initial expectations

8.1.2 THREE MAIN TRAINING GAPS IDENTIFIED IN MY MUNICIPALITY The training deficit remains one of the key shortcomings of our labour market. Each municipality has diffe-rent characteristics and employ-ment offers, therefore in the iden-tification of certain training gaps it makes sense to subsequently iden-tify courses, internships or modu-

THREE MAIN TRAINING GAPS IDENTIFIED IN MY MUNICIPALITY

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les that are really reliable in order to counteract them. These trainings gaps are necessarily connected to the local economic structure, the nature of its labour market, the demand for labour and the recent history within the area.

Let us propose the case of a tra-ditionally industrial region that suddenly suffers a process of relo-cation and that deprived of its pre-vious industrial resources, it begins to focus on tourism. Now we find that the demand for training in the area has turned a corner and it will take decades, probably, for it to adapt to the new context, and will require the momentum of public institutions. Similarly, we find a tra-ining mismatch in agricultural and / or services that suddenly become industrialised. In these cases the labour within the private sector is also decisive, which should colla-borate in the adjustment of local labour as an important piece in the construction of the project. This is the situation that occurred in Campo de Gibraltar with the development plans under Franco that led to the

arrival of the oil company Cepsa in San Roque in the 1960’s, with the specific industrial revolution that took place in that area. Exploratory studies found huge gaps and trai-ning needs in the local workforce to such an extent that they applied a local training plan that integra-ted all jobseekers that were able to add, subtract, divide and multi-ply (the four rules plan). From this starting-off point, the company trained workers in other skills and capabilities that were necessary in order to occupy a position within the company. In fact, this plan was exported after its successful appli-cation the 50’s to the Italian region of Mezzo Giorno, in order to pro-mote its industrialisation (Vallejo Peña, 2007). In order to identify training gaps within our area of study the infor-mation obtained in the open inter-views to be carried out by the key contributors to this study will be decisive, as well as the identified secondary sources (see Section 5: methodology and tools for the deve-lopment of the diagnosis).

8.1.3 THREE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED The gaps indicated above allow us to identify training initiatives that are currently under development (with regard to both public and pri-vate positions). In these cases it will be particularly important to use our network of key contributors in order to identify them precisely. Obtaining this information may be somewhat more complicated than that of pre-vious blocks; therefore it is advisable to compare the discourses obtained after the application of the qualita-tive technique with the secondary information. Furthermore, it is also important to note that in this case the training and employment initiati-ves should not necessarily be cove-red in the locality since it will depend on the offer. The preferred approach will be to carry out the initiative within the area of influence.

When evaluating a training initiative a procedural perspective should be taken into account, meaning that not only the execution should be eva-luated but also the consequences

observed: links with business prac-tices, connections with other hig-her-level training offers, including the results of labour integration in the period immediately after. In the event that advisers or contributors can provide access to evaluative information on the training initia-tive, this should be considered.

8.1.4 SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT According to the European Union White Paper on growth, competiti-veness and employment (1993), an employment source is an economic sector or part of an economic sector, in which it is expected to see a signi-ficant demand in employment in the near future, especially as a conse-quence of economic, social and tech-nological transformation.

The main sources of employment in the area shall be described below. To this end it is advisable to have support from the secondary sources descri-bed in the responses of key contri-butors who have contributed to this topic during the course of in-depth interviews. For questions that the specialist should qualify according to


IDENTIFYING SOME KEY POINTS

THREE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT

36 37


local behaviour - such as seasona-lity, timing, and emergence or decline of one sector – the observations and comment boxes can be used.

8.2 MYTHS AND REA-LITIES IN MY LABOUR MARKET Below the guide will attempt to pro-vide a reflection on those aspects that are believed to be known about our labour market that correspond to popular myths against those that correspond to a reality demonstrable by means of data and scientific dis-cussion. This way the specialist can gain a better understanding of the environment with a higher degree of certainty and will apply this informa-tion to his or her consultancy work. Afterwards it is recommended to go over the results of the study with a SWOT analysis so that further ins-truction and advice can be added.

8.2.1 THE MYTH VERSUS THE PROVEN FACTIn the case of a careers advisor, it will be essential to distinguish between

the myths concerning employment in their own community, and the scien-tifically proven facts. We can look at the following situation which is very common in our cities. An experienced father tells his neighbour, in a casual encounter, that the youngest of his chil-dren has fortunately been working for two years as an assistant of a known plumber. After an initial learning stage he begins to charge high percentages on the amount billed to customers. The young man earns a substantial monthly salary which relieves his parents of their worry since their son was not successful at school and went a long time without any real pros-pects. Afterwards the father adds that his daughter, a third year student of business administration, is in an even more difficult situation, despite the fact that she has obtained good acade-mic results, and comments to us about the paradox of life and the turmoil of our world. We are all familiar with situations like the one above, and we have seen how these myths are con-solidated at the popular level.

The advised/unemployed person becomes an agent for these myths,

which are spread and repeated over and over. In this sense, the press has a lot to do with it since it fundamen-tally contributes to the exaggeration of certain phenomena and the crea-tion of stereotypes that facilitate the simplification and attraction to new listeners, television viewers and rea-ders. It is important to correct our own jobseekers about these ideas and pre-judices. Along the same lines, Muñoz de Bustillo recently published (2010) a very useful piece of work which can be used to clarify these questions. Local myths apart, from his point of view there are three great fallacies about the Spanish employment mar-ket which are unfortunately wides-pread. It discusses the university as a factory of the unemployed, the thesis of the plumber and the culpability of the Spanish education system.

MYTH 1: The university as a factory of the unemployedThe thesis put forward from when Martín- Moreno and De Miguel wrote the book with a tone as pessimis-tic as its title (University: Factory of the unemployed, 1979) spread the image of a labour market with con-

tradictory behaviours and one which is completely detached from the education system. This is in one way true, but the exaggeration of its focus has fostered the idea that going to university hampers the individual’s employability rather than enhan-ces it, since it is a distraction from other employment integration alter-natives which are more direct and efficient. However, by simply obser-ving the unemployment data of the middle aged (30-45), together with their level of training we are taken back to reality. See figure 1.

It is true that young graduates often endure long periods of unemplo-yment and / or job insecurity until their position is consolidated, and throughout this they come under great pressure from the system to improve their training and speciali-sation. This situation places them at junctures that are even more diffi-cult than those endured by young people that are not as well qualified, although the socioeconomic situation in their families –generally middle class- usually eases the transition.

THE MYTH VERSUS THE PROVEN FACT


MYTHES AND REALITIES IN MY LABOUR MARKET

38 39


We can observe the data provided by the INE as unemployment falls pro-gressively as the level of educational qualification increases, generating a lineal relational model. Certainly the relationship between both varia-bles is conditioned by many other factors: social class and economic and temporal resources, among others, but even so the causality between both variables is demons-trated by evidence. However, in stu-dies carried out on the adaptation of training profiles to professionals in Spain (Gobernado, 2008) it is revea-

led that in the case of more qualified workers (university graduates) the difficulties that they encounter in their first steps towards labour inte-gration lead them to take up posts which only require a lower level of educational attainment due to the pressure of personal difficulties and their refusal to spend more time on training and labour integration. Meaning that in practice a large pro-portion of them end up taking roles that require a professional profile equal to that of secondary level edu-cation, thus competing with and, in

-Source: Compiled by author using data from the National Institute of Statistics 2010

FIGURE 1. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND LEVEL OF TRAINING IN SPAIN many cases, taking jobs away from less educated groups.

MYTH 2: The thesis of the plumberWe have all heard stories on more than one occasion about young people in our area that do not spend time on training but who manage to find work quickly, and who are well paid. It is important that these isolated cases, such as that mentioned at the begin-ning of the section, do not lead us to absurd generalisations. For Muñoz de Bustillo (2010) there are various factors that condition salary level: whether the employer is of the private or public sector, current demand –as seen in the construction sector-, the extent to which the post occupied corresponds to training, age or sex.

If we look at the graph that shows income throughout the working life of Spanish people according to trai-ning, we can observe how, at primary and secondary level, a slight posi-tive relationship occurs, with a slow increase in salary as the subject increases in age. However, we can also see how, with university gra-duates, the rate of increase begins

to rise sharply from the age of 25 until around the age of 55 where it is three times that of those with only primary level education. In reality the stagnation of the university gra-duates only lasts a few years: the first stage of their working life.

Consequently, young university gra-duates in their first stage of labour integration are one of the groups that most require support and are one of the most difficult groups to manage from the point of view of careers advice, especially due to the discrepancy that occurs between expectations and real possibilities of labour integration, such as obtaining a “sufficient” salary. As the years go by, a continual improvement in labour integration and salary occurs, which puts the category in a very prominent position compared to primary and secondary levels of academic attainment. This impro-vement is linked to increased expe-rience, training and specialisation acquired over the years, as well as having an improved relational net-work that boosts the procurement of new jobs and / or higher wages.




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-Source : élaboration propre à partir des données de l’EPA 2010.

FIGURE 2. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE, TRAINING LEVEL AND SALARY LEVEL IN SPAIN

to this group taking up lower-level positions and thus taking jobs away from lower-trained candidates. Secondly, more stable labour rela-tions with the employer maintained by the higher-level group, aggravate the social differences even more with respect to the other groups.

MYTH 3: The culpability of the Spanish education systemWhile it is true that the Spanish edu-cation system faces a major crisis, reflection should be given to the exaggerations that we hear in our environment: factory of the functio-nally illiterate, jobseekers that are uncompetitive at an international level, no foundation, etc. This is fatal, to the extent that we position ourselves in the debate in an unrea-listic position. Taking an efficient education system forward, adap-ted to the job market and bright in values, and at the same time mode-rating public spending, is difficult for any country, even for ones that are more developed.

However, the OECD regularly pre-sents data on the relationship

between education spending per pupil and academic achievements by secondary school students (15 years old). The results shown in the graph below, FIGURE 3, show that Spain, with regard to both variables (academic performance and spen-ding per student) is in an interme-diate position. For Muñoz de Bustillo (2010) it is reasonable to classify the situation of our education system as mediocre but not to start coming up with apocalyptic visions. Although it shouldn’t be much of a consolation, the United States obtains the same results as Spain, but invests twice as much. In short, we should not fall into the temptation of placing all the blame on schools, and maybe they are only reflecting the medio-crity in our environment and their problems may be related to family functionality, their environment and the neighbourhood.

The graph in figure 2 shows us how the subjects that belong to the category “primary education” expe-rience a flat performance in relation to belonging to age groups, provi-ding a more liberal position among those of secondary education (first tier). In both cases the categories show significant difficulties in get-ting out of the thousand-euro cate-gory, something that is only possi-ble at primary level from the age of 46 and that, without going over the 1100 Euro mark. The second tier secondary level group shows

a slightly positive relationship bet-ween age and salary, with a signi-ficant stagnation from the age of 46. The university-level category notably highlights, since it shows a lineal relationship between age and salary, achievement in the best results from the age of 50, which is the point at which the secondary-level categories stagnate. Certainly many of these university gradua-tes do not occupy positions that correspond to their academic level, although the data demonstrate that training and status contribute




42 43


In summary, it is an essential mis-sion of the specialist to lay the pre-judices of popular opinion to rest within their environment by using statistical and scientific data, so that the jobseeker can reconsider certain fatal actions and attitudes towards their environment.

ANALYSING THE MYTH OF EMPLOYMENT IN MY ENVIRONMENT

After reflecting on the validity of the myths that exist within popu-lar discourse and the consequen-tial repercussions in the attitudes and conducts of jobseekers, I would like to invite you to try to identify an employment myth that exists in your own environment. What beliefs lac-king real foundations are imposed in popular discourse? How can you rec-tify that perception based on data and

-Source: Compiled by author using data from the OECD, 2009.

FIGURE 3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAPITAL INVESTED BY STATES AND ACADEMIC RESULTS IN SPAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE OECD

observations grounded in reality?

8.2.2 IDENTIFYING THE REALITIES OF OUR LABOURIn confronting the myths of unem-ployment we should refute the social phenomena that was pre-viously analysed and verified by other data. This gives us a much more accurate and reliable view of our environment and allows us to obtain our own conclusions. Below we highlight some contrasting rea-lities of Spanish society: the dis-connection between the training system and the labour market, the poor culture that exists with regard to entrepreneurship and the depen-dence on the construction and tou-rism sectors.

Among these factors the fact is highlighted that the training of our young people is not developed along the lines of the real demands of the market. Regrettably this is a pro-ven reality. In Spain we have almost three times the amount of univer-sity students than those under-going professional training. During the period of economic expansion

of the 90’s and at the beginning of 2000, our business community con-tinually stated the shortcomings of the professional training system, arguing that not enough people were coming through the system with sufficient technical skills which hindered the chances of employing new workers for these companies, and training was taken up by people who were not necessarily capable of the role. According to the Natio-nal Institute of Statistics, in 2010 Spain had almost 1,400,000 univer-sity graduates, while the number of students in professional training was below 500,000. This shows an important structural imbalance which is necessary to correct.

Moreover, regarding the claim that is so widespread in our environment that “there are too many university graduates”, we should state that this is true, although with many nuan-ces regarding specialities and pro-fessions. Overall, there is a deficit in technical and health graduates, which requires the State to develop training in these areas with regard to both quantity and quality, although




IDENTIFYNG THE REALITIES OF OUR LABOUR

44 45


the repercussions of the recent eco-nomic crisis are drastically reducing the demand which may soon alter the situation. By contrast, in the spe-cialities of humanities, social scien-ces and law, for the last 25 years we have been producing more gra-duates than our labour market is able to absorb. These circumstances have been caused by an extensive university model in which 75 univer-sities have been constituted throug-hout Spain, as an example there are 9 law faculties in Andalusia alone. Among the most notable consequen-ces is the fact that Spain is one of the worst countries for university graduates working below their aca-demic attainment level according to statistics from the OECD. In 2009 the figures for Spain show that 43.5% of graduates between the age of 25 and 29 were in this situation, almost dou-ble that of the OECD average (23%).

As a second provable reality we should highlight the lack of an entrepreneurial culture in Spain as a barrier for development and employment. The data show that Spain is extremely poorly posi-

tion compared to other Western countries analysed with regard to entrepreneurship. As confirmed by a study carried out in 2010 by the London School of Economics and the Instituto de Empresa (GEM report). The study was carried out on a sample of 17 European coun-tries; Spain is positioned in twelfth place. In the rest of the world it may be surprising to see Brazil leading, coming first with 13% of people between 18 and 64 involved in busi-ness at the time the interview was carried out. In the case of Spain it was only the case for 4.1% of those interviewed, data that confirms our drop from 2010, a year in which the same report positioned us slightly better (4.5%). Spain therefore finds itself some distance from its Euro-pean neighbours such as Latvia (9.5%), The Netherlands (7%), Hun-gry (6.9%) and Ireland (6.6%). The producers of the report highlight the fact that although Spain had previously experienced an upward trend, it has dropped significantly in recent years. As a positive coun-terpoint, the 2010 GEM report highlights the important progress

of Spanish women compared with men in 2004. Then the entrepreneu-rial rate was above 28% in 2004 and almost 40% in 2010.

Although it is difficult to clearly sepa-rate the causes of the phenomenon we should point towards a Spanish economy with a strong tradition of self-employed workers, with respect to both the public sector, in the case of the second third of the twentieth cen-tury, and the private sector (banks and other large corporations). From the cri-sis of the 90’s, caused by the prior baby boom, the withdrawal or manual work and the mass incorporation of women into the active population, Spain is focusing on its entrepreneurial failings, given that the self-employed model has become exhausted. Education is among the factors that condition the poor state of entrepreneurship among the Spanish people, hence the recent institutional bid to integrate entrepre-neurship into school curricula and in our culture in a broad sense. As a third noteworthy phenomenon is that the Spanish economy has been characterised over the last

30 years by its dependence on the construction and tourism sectors. The development of our model in recent times has led to uneven eco-nomic growth that lacks diversifi-cation. In the 1980’s Spain turned towards the services sector to the detriment of the national indus-try –which became very noticeable during the Franco era-. Further-more, the phenomenon has been exacerbated by the recent reloca-tion of foreign business from Spa-nish territory, who sought unem-ployed workers in order to reduce labour costs, and whose salaries become too high in Spain as a result of its entry into the Eurozone. Howe-ver these bad results have been disguised by good results obtained during the decades of the 1990’s and 2000’s in the construction and tourism sectors. These findings are subject to generalisation and the situations among different Autono-mous Communities.

Spain is among the five most domi-nant countries in world tourism, according to the rankings produced by the UNWTO 2005, Spain always



IDENTIFYING THE REALITIES OF OUR LABOUR

46 47


appears among the top countries (more or less near the top depending on the indicator used). However our country is in a group of major pla-yers alongside China, France, Italy and the United States. Maintaining this position will be difficult, due to the pressure from neighbouring Mediterranean countries and plans by new emerging economies which intend to diversify by developing the sector. This obliges us to push the tourism industry as well as develop other sectors.

Identifying social and economic rea-lities, such as those set out above, and relating to our local environ-ment, will allow the careers advi-ser to advise users more safely and knowledgably. This way, we can construct our plans around data and the comparison of same, and we can move away from popular employment myths which only lead to error and confusion.

8.2.3 SWOT ANALYSIS The SWOT analysis is a technique to diagnose a given situation by analy-sing all its weaknesses, threats,

strengths and opportunities. It is also known as FODA (in Spanish): Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportuni-ties, Threats (Ballester, 2004). It has become a classic technique whose use dates back to the 60’s, when it began to be used by different resear-chers from the University of Stan-dford (Otero and Gaché, 2006). The SWOT analysis will help us to recog-nise the strengths and weaknesses presented by our labour market, the threats that may affect us and the opportunities that may arise in the future. For Steiner (2003): “The SWOT analysis is a critical step in the planning process. Properly examining future opportunities and dangers (threats) of a project, and relating it to an impartial study with its strengths and weaknesses. This represents a huge advantage.”

Our proposal is to invite you to use the SWOT analysis to analyse the environment that users of your ser-vice face. In your work, partial, indi-vidual and subjective views are as important as the view as a whole. It is at least a necessary supplement. The matrix of the SWOT analysis

is divided into two essential axes: which distinguish the internal analysis from the external analysis and which separate the positive and negative aspects. See Figure 1.

FIGURE 1. SWOT ANALYSIS

The SWOT comprises, on the one hand, two levels of analysis: internal and external; and on the other hand, two approaches: positive and negative.

Internal LevelThe object of the study is analysed, as well as its structure and opera-tion responding to possible obser-ved functions or dysfunctions. This way we will identify strengths (posi-tive) and weaknesses (negative).

External LevelThe elements as a whole are analy-sed, which, will presumably interact with the structure, object of the study, conditioning its future behaviour. This way we will identify opportuni-ties (positive) and threats (negative).

The strengths and weaknesses cons-titute the internal analysis, which is characterised by its orientation towards the present, while the oppor-tunities and threats are focused bet-ween the present and the near future (Codina, 2007). When we talk about the future in this way, what period are we making reference to exactly? In this sense the literature deviates among different versions but we can narrow it down to a period of bet-ween 3 and 5 years, or at least, the immediate future. We must empha-sise that local labour markets are subject to substantial fluctuations over short periods of time. In some ways it may seem like a narrow mar-gin, just a few years away, but here it is important to consider the fact that the limitation of the period provides a more realistic view of the predictive capacities of the technique.

POSITIVEANALYSIS

TYPE

EXTERNAL

NEGATIVE

Strong Points

Opportunities

Weak Points

Threats

INTERNAL


MYTHES AND REALITIES IN MY LABOUR MARKET SWOT ANALYSIS

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Another important distinction for those who carry out the analysis, is that while the dimensions of the strengths-weaknesses axis belong to our area of influence, those that constitute the opportunities–threats axis are beyond our control. That is to say, agents that participate daily in our local market may improve the training or workers and the unem-ployed, the coordination between various agencies and information to employers, enhancing their strengths against their weaknesses. However, there is no ability to influence inter-est rates or government subsidies. These are threats and opportunities to which we must adapt, but that we cannot determine or alter, except by means of very indirect interventions such as voting or signing manifestos (Otero and Gaché, 2006).

With regard to the application, we should ask ourselves questions such as: What makes our local mar-ket better than others? (strengths); What limits and prevents its impro-vement? (weaknesses); What econo-mic, social or political expectations could implement its development?

(opportunities); What factors could compromise its growth in the future? (threats). We will subsequently transfer the results obtained to a matrix, setting out the four dimen-sions. For this, our research infor-mation on the area will be essential, including the views and guidance from our key contributors and their involvement in the diagnosis.

It is essential to consider that the real objective of the SWOT analysis is to design action strategies. If, once we have finished the first sessions of work for completing the matrix, we have not reached the strategy stage, it may be the case that we have invested our time poorly. The design of the strategies includes both what to do and how to do it, as well as establishing priorities, that is, it is essential that it is made clear what goes before in the process. In this sense it is advisable to include in the timetables the pertinent work sessions upon finishing the SWOT analysis in order to facilitate strategy planning and to produce a document that reflects its implementation.


MYTHES AND REALITIES IN MY LABOUR MARKET SWOT ANALYSIS

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09BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INTERNET SOURCES

EUROPEAN COMMISSION (1993): Growth, Competitiveness and Emplo-yment (White Paper). European Union. DÍAZ LIVING, R. (2005): Psicología social de las Américas. Pearson Educación: Méjico. P. 93.

GOBERNADO, R. (2009):La modernización regional de España. Thomson Reuters. Madrid.

JECKEL, J. and LANDY, D. (1969): “Linking a person as function of doing him a favor”. Human Rela-tions, 22, 371-378.

MARTÍN-MORENO, J. y de MIGUEL, A. (1979): La universidad como fábrica de parados. Vincens-Vives: Madrid.

MUÑOZ DE BUSTILLO (2010): “Sistema educativo y empleo”; chap. 4El empleo: reflexiones para un nuevo modelo productivo. ANDALUSIAN FOUNDATION EMPLOYMENT TRAI-NING FUND: Seville (pp. 115-132).

WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION (2005): WTO barometer. Vol. 3, no. 2.

OTERO, D. y GACHE, F. (2006): Evoluciones y dinámicas en el pro-grama FODA. Visión: Revista cientí-fica. Nº2, vol. 6, año 3.

ROSENZWEIG, M.R. (1972): Brain changes into experience. Scientific American. 226 (2), 22-29.

STEINER, G. (1983): Estrategia competitiva. Cecsa: Méjico.

VALLEJO PEÑA, F.A. (2007): El análisis de la cultura de una multinacional. Editorial Comares: Granada.

VALLÉS, M. (2002): Entrevistas cualitativas. Cuadernos metodológicos, nº 32; CIS: Madrid.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INTERNET SOURCES

SOURCES ELECTRONIQUESAA.VV. (2009): Análisis DAFO; available at http://www.webandmacros.com/analisis_de_la_empresa_DAFO.htm; visited on 21 October 2011.

BALLESTER, L. et al. (2004): Metodología para el trabajo socioeducativo (ponencia). IV Con-greso Estatal del Educador Social. Santiago de Compostela. Available at http://www.eduso.net/archivos/IVcongreso/comunicaciones/c65.pdf. Visited on 15 October 2011.

COMISIÓN EUROPEA (2011): ¿Cómo construir y organizar un panel de expertos? Available at http://www.ec.europa.eu/euro-peaid/evaluation/methodology; visited on 10 December 2011.

CODINA, A.(2007): Deficiencia en el uso del FODA. Causas y sugerencias. Available at http://www.degerencia.com; Visi-ted on 5 September 2011.

ENCUESTA de POBLACIÓN ACTIVA (2011): Mercado de trabajo (metodología 2005); Available at http://www.ine.es/jaxi/menu.do?type=pcaxis&path=%2Ft22/e308_mnu&file=inebase&L=0; visi-ted on 10 September 2011. INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE ESTA-DÍSTICA (2010): Estadísticas del mercado laboral; available at http://www.ine.es/inebmenu/mnu_mer-calab.htm; visited on 21 de Decem-ber de 2010.

INSTITUTO DE EMPRESA (2010): Informe GEM: España. Available at http:// ww.ie.edu/gem/img/infor-mes/61.pdf. Visited on 28 October 2011.

OBSERVATORIO ARGOS (2010): Informe de ocupaciones destacables; available at http://www.juntadean-dalucia.es/servicioandaluzdeem-pleo/web/argos/web/es/ARGOS/Noticias/OCUPACIONES_DESTA-CABLES_2010.html. Visited on 20 November 2011.

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ANNEXE 01

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ANNEXE 01DIAGNOSES DEVELOPMENT SHEET

1. SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISATION

1.1 TERRITORY AND POPULATION

REFERENCE VARIABLES

POPULATION

SETTLEMENTS

REAL GROWTH

NATURAL RATE OF GROWTH

NET MIGRATION

BIRTH RATE

MORTALITY RATE

STRUCTURE BY SEX AND AGE

DISTRIBUTION BY EDUCATIONAL LEVEL

OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS

DIAGNOSES DEVELOPMENT SHEET

SOCIOECONOMIC CHARACTERISATION

1.2 LABOUR MARKET

REFERENCE VARIABLES

ACTIVITY

OCCUPATION

DISTRIBUTION OF EMPLOYMENT BY SECTORS

UNEMPLOYMENT AND ITS EVOLUTION OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS

NUMBER OF COMPANIES

DISTRIBUTION OF COMPANIES BASED ON THE NUMBER OF WORKERS

AVERAGE LIFE OF THE COMPANIES

DISTRIBUTION BY SECTOR OF THE COMPANIES


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2. ANALYSIS OF THE LOCAL LABOUR MARKET

2.1 MOST SOUGHT OCCUPATIONS

SIX CATEGORIES CONSIDERED EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN MY LOCAL

ENVIRONMENT


2.2 THREE MAIN TRAINING GAPS IDENTIFIED IN MY MUNICIPALITY


2.3 THREE TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES TO BE HIGHLIGHTED

THREE HIGHLIGHTED TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES


2.4 SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT

SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT 1




ANALYSIS OF THE LOCAL LOBOUR MARKET

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IDENTIFYING ONE MYTH ABOUT EMPLOYMENT IN MY ENVIRONMENT


ANALYSIS OF THE LOCAL LOBOUR MARKET

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ANNEXE 02

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ANNEXE 02SHEET WITH BASIC DATA AND INTERVIEW TEMPLATES

A. INTERVIEW WITH KEY CONTRIBUTOR

BASIC DATA SHEET

NAME

INSTITUTION

DESCRIPTION OF PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

ADDRESS

TELEPHONE

E-MAIL

OBSERVATIONS

1. DESCRIBE THE DIFFICULTIES AND PROBLEMS IN THE LABOUR MARKET (YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT) IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

SHEET WITH BASIC DATA AND INTERVIEW TEMPLATES

INTERVIEW WITH KEY CONTRIBUTOR

2. WE WILL NOW SEPARATE THEM INTO GROUPS

2. A) YOUNG PEOPLE BETWEEN 16 AND 29

2. B) INMIGRANTS

2. C) OVER 45’S

2. D) WOMEN

3. WHAT WOULD CURRENTLY BE THE MAIN SOURCES OF EMPLOYMENT (YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT) FROM YOU POINT OF VIEW?

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4. IDENTIFY AND DESCRIBE THE MAIN TRAINING GAPS AND BARRIERS THAT HINDER THE EMPLOYMENT OF CITIZENS OF YOUR LOCAL ENVIRON-MENT. YOU CAN DIFFERENTIATE BASED ON THE 3 IDENTIFIED GROUPS AS YOU SEE FIT

5. IDENTIFY TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMMES IN WHICH YOUR ORGANISATION HAS COLLABORATED WHICH ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY THEIR LEVELS OF LABOUR INTEGRATION AND IDENTIFY THE KEY POINTS

6. IF YOU CONSIDER ANY SOCIO-LABOUR REFORMS TO BE ESPECIALLY NECESSARY WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY, PLEASE DESCRIBE THEM

B. INTERVIEW FOR THE UNEMPLOYEDBASIC DATA SHEET

NAME

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

DESCRIPTION OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE (COMPANIES, JOB POSITIONS)

ADDRESS

TELEPHONE

E-MAIL

OBSERVATIONS

1. DESCRIBE YOUR SITUATION AS A JOB SEEKER TODAY: DURING YOUR TIME ON THE DOLE, HOW INTENSELY ARE YOU LOOKING, LABOUR AND SPATIAL SCOPE, AND PERCEPTION OF CURRENT INCOMES

INTERVIEW FOR THE UNEMPLOYED


INTERVIEW WITH KEY CONTRIBUTOR

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2. DESCRIBE THE MAIN DIFFICULTIES YOU SEE IN YOUR SEARCH FOR EMPLOYMENT

3. SUMMARISE THE WAY YOU MANAGE INFORMATION SOURCES IN YOUR SEARCH FOR EMPLOYMENT

4. SUGGEST A/SOME SERVICE/S THAT FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW COULD BE OFFERED TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU. AND THAT WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED

INTERVIEW FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

5. WE ARE NOW GOING TO COVER THE ROLE THAT YOUR PERSONAL CON-TACTS PLAY IN YOUR SEARCH FOR EMPLOYMENT. DO YOU SEE THE LACK OF CONTACTS AS A BARRIER? DO YOU CONSIDER THAT OTHER JOBSEE-KERS IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT OBTAIN BETTER RESULTS BECAUSE OF THEIR CONTACTS?

6. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT REFORMS WITHIN THE SOCIO-LABOUR SPHERE ARE NECESSARY IN YOUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT PLEASE DESCRIBE THEM HERE


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NOTES

NOTES

70 71


NOTES

NOTES

72 73


NOTES

NOTES

74 75


76


PROJECT CO-FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ANDALUSIA AND THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE PROYECTO INTERSECCIONES OF THE EUROEMPLEO PROGRAMME

PROMOTES: CO-FINANCIE:

manual for the undertakingof local employment diagnoses

Documents

sources of employment

employment opportunities

employment initiatives

local labour market

city council of malaga

university of malaga

training gaps

technical team