An Italian Mismatch

Results from a surveyon educational choices of

young Italians

Why is Italy so interesting?

• Large enrolments in arts and humanities

• Enrolments in science and technology increasing very slowly.

• Evidence of large mismatch between qualifications of workers and skill content of jobs

• It cannot be just labour demand or the structure of the university system

…

0.7

1.7

2.7

3.7

4.7

5.7

6.7

7.7

1998 1999 2000 2001

Italy France Germany

Science and Technology Graduates (as % of population aged 20-29)

0.300.27 0.27 0.29

0.47

0.24

0.54

0.41

0.670.71

0.46

0.33

0.2

.4.6

.8

% answering 'no' to the following question:Have you had formal training or education that has given you skills nedeed for your present type of work?Source: ECHP 2001

Labour mismatch in Europe

Italy as the mis-match country

0.2

.4.6

% answering 'no' to the following question:Have you had formal training or education that has given you skills nedeed for your present type of work?Source: ECHP 2001

Labour mismatch in Europe

primary secondary tertiary

Notably in tertiary education

The survey

• Carlo Erminero & Co.• Webpanel of 550 high-school and

university graduates. June 2005• Questions on:

– information sources– costs of education – mismatch between education and

occupations

Among graduates, mismatch is lower for scientific degrees

Type of degree

too much adeguate not enough

too much and not enough at the same

time. Simply different, wrong

Scientific* 18.14 29.22 28.28 24.36

Arts and Humanities** 3.94 29.06 34.2 32.8

Other 5.38 51.7 23.71 19.22

Total 12.03 33.46 28.95 25.57

* Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Pharmacy, Medical sciences, Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Engineering, Architecture, Economics, Statistics

** Political Science, Sociology, Law, Literature, Philosophy, Languages, Pedagogics.

Compared to what is needed to perform your current job, what you learned at school or university is…

informal sources of information2 0.035 (0.001)

high school teachers 0.015 (0.001)

Standard errors in paratheses

At the moment of deciding whether to enroll in college and for which subject, from what sources did you collect information?

2. Parents and relatives, friends and study-mates, acquaitances working in businesses or professions related to the subject of study.

1. Probability of answering "too much and not enough at the same time. Simply different, wrong" to the question: " Compared to what is needed to perform your current job, what you learned at school or university is…"

Marginal effect on the probability

of mismatch1

Reference category is formal sources of information, i.e. meeting at colleges (open days and alike), articles and rankings of colleges published by the media, information booklets and other material produced by colleges.

Bad information increases mismatch

Advise from parents an relatives 0.052 (0.001)

The choices of friends and study-mates - -

interest/passion for the subject -0.009 (0.000)

choosing an easy subject in order to graduate quickly

0.161 (0.001)

Standard errors in paratheses

Reference category is "work opportunity offered by this particular subject"

Marginal effect on the probability of

mismatch1

Factors that played a "very important role" in the choice of going to university and of the subject

1. Probability of answering "too much and not enough at the same time. Simply different, wrong" to the question: " Compared to what is needed to perform your current job, what you learned at school or university is…"

Bad information increases mismatch (2)

where did you attend college?

too much adeguate not enough

too much and not enough at the same

time. Simply different, wrong

other town 11.24 28.39 42.52 17.85

my own town 12.56 36.88 19.77 30.79

Compared to what is needed to perform your current job, what you learned at school or university is…

Those paying for education have a lower mismatch?

and a few are paying % % Costs of tertiary education (excluding tuition fees)

Far from mamma

With mamma

Less than 1000 euros 20.3 47.3 1000 to 3000 euros 35.6 27.8 3000 to 5000 euros 24.0 10.0 sbove 5000 euros 9.5 1.3 dk/na 10.6 13.5 tuition Less than 1000 euros 47,7 47,7 1000 to 3000 euros 39,9 41,9 3000 to 5000 euros 2,9 2,8 dk/na 9,4 7,6

?

• More resources and/or better incentives?

• Increasing tuition fees, together with more scholarships and student loans (the British way) would reduce the mismatch?

• How about having less (but better) universities? Far from mamma?