In a recent article, published in the IDB’s blog Factor Trabajo, the labour markets’ specialist, Manuel Urquidi, reflects on whether studying is enough to get a good job. He states that what really matters is the quality of education and not the amount of degrees a person gets.

Basically, it is an employability issue. There is a gap between the skills employers demand and the skills workers have. The IDB has been studying this issue in Bolivia, where employers do not find it easy to fill job vacancies as workers lack the skills needed. Something very similar happens in other Latin American countries as well as in countries all over the world.

Urquidi states that another reason that prevents young people from getting a job is that several employers demand previous working experience, as they believe that such experience is a guarantee that the candidate has certain skills. Therefore, it is extremely important to improve the quality of education, in order to provide young people the skills the market demands and grant them a chance to get better jobs.

As Urquidi says, “doing nothing shall mean that, among other things, young people will keep on having great difficulties to access quality jobs”.

Read the full article in Spanish by clicking here.