The Umea university Faculty of humanities offers programs, courses, cross-disciplinary educations and post graduate studies. The university mentions on their website that newly graduated students rapidly establish themself in the labour market. Meanwhile a survey made by statistics Sweden (Statistiska centralbyrån) shows that graduates in humanities i general and graduates in journalism and media particularly experiences the longest gap between graduation and permanent employment. The labor market of media and communications branches off in a variety of businesses and the ever so fast development of technologies has created an evenly fast developing anticipation in the employees. The purpose of this study is to use the program of media- och communication in Umea university as case, and study the graduates entrance in the labour market. Furthermore the purpose is to build understandings for how the graduates value the expertise they have acquired and how this is to be understood in relation to the development of the industry. The study is based on an online survey in which 11 years of graduates answers 11 questions. In total 104 respondents answered the survey and the main conclusions interrelates to theories of the implications of competences, and how the information society has restructured the circumstances of the labour market. The main conclusions summarizes that the graduates rapidly establishes themself in the labour market, an that even though 50% of the graduates has chosen to complement their studies they generally experience satisfaction with the choice of subject. Furthermore the results shows that the workers assignments has changed over time, however only in some areas.

Agglomeration economies have a relevant impact on local labour markets. The interaction of workers and firms in dense urban areas may generate productivity advantages that result in higher wages. They may be accompanied by an increase in local costs, but the existence of cities that continue to grow is a sign by itself that these gains supersede higher costs. Therefore, large urban areas have an expected positive impact on wages. However, not only the size of the city but also the sectoral composition is relevant to understand locational choices of firms of a specific sector. The industrial scope of agglomeration economies is investigated in the first chapter of this dissertation, and the main results indicate that there is not a unique optimal local industrial mix to foster productivity in different technological sectors. Furthermore, high-tech and low-tech manufacturing sectors benefit more from urban scale in Brazil, followed by services associated with higher knowledge intensity. These sectors are supposed to locate relatively more in large urban areas in order to profit from these advantages. Agglomeration economies may have static and dynamic effects for individuals. These effects are reinforced by a process of sorting of skilled workers into large urban areas. In fact, initial and return migration are mechanisms that select more skilled and more productive workers into large urban areas. Then, cities with a higher percentage of skilled workers attract more of these highly-qualified individuals. Second migration seems to reinforce these relations. The estimation of static agglomeration economies indicate that the inclusion of individual fixed effects decreases density coefficient significantly. Then, dynamic agglomeration economies are estimated considering previous work experience in cities. In this case, static agglomeration advantages become insignificant and whenever years of previous experience are combined with the current place of work, individuals working in less dense cities who had previous experience in denser areas will benefit the most from these gains. Finally, controlling for worker heterogeneity previous experience has a relevant and positive impact on wage growth only in cities with at least the same density level of the current place of work. Finally, city size has an important impact on the relative bargaining power of workers and firms in the labour market. When analysing the relationship of local wages and the business cycle, wage flexibility, measured by the wage curve, is higher in informal sectors in less dense areas. Therefore, large agglomerations are supposed to provide a higher bargaining power for workers, as they have further job opportunities. All these results indicate that agglomeration economies in Brazil are likely to stimulate spatial concentration and increase regional inequalities. Workers and firms self-select themselves into agglomerated urban areas, in which they find a more diversified environment and a larger share of high-skilled individuals. Bigger centres also provide the conditions for workers to bargain for higher wages, even if they are in the informal sector. / Economias de aglomeração possuem um impacto importante sobre o mercado de trabalho. A interação entre trabalhadores e firmas em áreas de elevada densidade pode gerar ganhos de produtividade que resultam em salários mais elevados. Tais áreas também podem possuir custos de vida mais elevados, mas o crescimento recente das cidades parece indicar que os ganhos se sobrepõem aos custos. Portanto, grandes áreas urbanas têm um impacto esperado positivo sobre os salários. No entanto, não só o tamanho da cidade, mas também a composição setorial é relevante para entender as escolhas de localização das empresas de um sector específico. O escopo industrial de economias de aglomeração é investigado no primeiro capítulo desta tese, e os principais resultados indicam que não há um único mix setorial local ótimo para fomentar a produtividade em diferentes setores tecnológicos. Além disso, setores de alta tecnologia e setores industriais de baixa tecnologia se beneficiam mais da escala urbana no Brasil, seguidos de setores de serviços associados a intensidade de conhecimento mais elevado. As economias de aglomeração podem ter efeitos estáticos e dinâmicos. Eles são reforçados por um processo de seleção de trabalhadores qualificados para grandes áreas urbanas. As migrações inicial e de retorno constituem mecanismos essencial para a auto-seleção de trabalhadores mais qualificados e mais produtivos para grandes áreas urbanas. Assim, cidades com maior percentual de trabalhadores mais habilidosos deverão atrais mais indivíduos qualificados. A estimação de economias de aglomeração estáticas indica que a inclusão do efeito fixo individual reduz o coeficiente da densidade de maneira significante. Quando economias de aglomeração dinâmica são estimadas tendo por base a experiência prévia de trabalho em cidades, as vantagens estáticas se tornam não-significantes. Conforme esses anos de experiência são iterados com a densidade do local de trabalho atual, indivíduos trabalhando em cidades menos densas com experiência em cidades mais densas serão os maiores beneficiados. Por fim, a experiência prévia de trabalho tem um efeito positivo sobre o crescimento do salário somente no caso da experiência em cidades com ao menos a mesma densidade da cidade atual. Finalmente, o tamanho da cidade tem um impacto importante sobre o poder de barganha relativo dos trabalhadores e das empresas no mercado de trabalho. Ao analisar a relação dos salários locais e do ciclo de negócios, a flexibilidade salarial, medida pela curva de salário, é maior em setores informais em áreas menos densas. Portanto, as grandes aglomerações supostamente oferecem maior poder de barganha dos trabalhadores, pois eles têm mais oportunidades de emprego. Esses resultados indicam que as economias de aglomeração no Brasil parecem estimular a concentração espacial e ampliar as desigualdades regionais. Trabalhadores e firmas se auto-selecionam para grandes áreas urbanas, nas quais encontram um ambiente mais diversificado e outros trabalhadores altamente qualificados. Adicionalmente, grandes centros proporcionam maior poder de barganha aos trabalhadores em negociações salariais, mesmo que estejam no setor informal

This PhD analyses the factors that affect the existence or absence of coordination in the field of labour market policy for the long-term unemployed in three cities in Great Britain (Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Newcastle). The interest in coordination in public service provision has become more relevant since the state's previously dominant role in services provision gave way to a decentralised and multi-actor landscape. The complexity of social issues also fostered the involvement of multiple organisations. Furthermore, the recent move toward activation in labour market policy has renewed the interest in localised and personalised services, which require coordination. The implications for individuals of the shift toward activation is the main driver for this thesis. Activation has changed the relationship between the state and its citizens, has redefined social exclusion, has individualised responsibility for unemployment, and has increased individuals' obligations to become employed and employable. Also, a greater number of individuals—often with multiple, complex, and overlapping problems—are now required to take part in paid employment. If activation is to effectively support unemployed individuals, its governance would have to facilitate coordination. Even though networks and partnership-working have been buzz-terms in relation to public service planning and delivery for some years, empirically, there is still a question over whether this discourse has resulted in coordination on the ground. Studies of coordination in the field of labour market policies have often focused on the link between social assistance and labour market policy. This research examines instead the coordination between labour market and other related policy areas, as well as the coordination between administrative levels and various service providers. Drawing upon document analysis and semi-structure interviews, this thesis shows that coordination is still elusive in practice and develops a framework of governance that might help to better achieve coordination in service provision.

The general objective of this study is to identify skills required by employers relevant to the agricultural sector especially in cash crop rice farming and to explore how to increase the contribution of new entrants to the labour market leading to increased production, socio-economic development and the reduction of income-poverty in Tanzania. Productivity gains in the agriculture sector have been modest and have had a limited effect on economic growth in Tanzania. Although the country has considerable agricultural potential, making the most of this depends on the availability of a labour force that has the skills to support a shift to greater productivity. This study profiles, analyses and examines the reality of skills provision and the emerging opportunities to find out how skills development and employability should be improved. The research questions focus on (i) identifying the existing skills gaps between employers' needs and employees' capabilities; (ii) identifying the skills which TVET programs impart to enhance performance in the agriculture subsector; and (iii) identifying the skills required by employers and analysing the employability of TVET graduates entering work in the agricultural sector, especially for paddy production. The study concludes by outlining policy implications for improving TVET programs for workforce development. Among the key research findings was the identification of the high degree of irrelevance of most TVET courses for the targeted labour market as overall 89 % of employers claim that the skills possessed by graduates were not applicable to their intended jobs. Moreover, there is a gap in perception between employers and employees about the value of their training. Serious concerns need to be addressed. This can be done by creating an effective system of knowledge dissemination and training building on the current cascade training system involving both the TVET institutions and the visitation of extension workers in the field responsible for enhancing the transfer of modern farming practices. Findings also indicate that very few TVET graduates who enter the agriculture sector have actually studied agriculture, and only seven percent out of the entire TVET graduating cohort have studied the agricultural track. These research findings, drawn largely from a case study analysis as well as analysis of secondary sources, were formed during my professional experience working in the TVET sub-sector in Tanzania. The findings lead to the conclusion that the nature and structure of the curriculum as well as the teaching methodology mean the skills of the TVET graduates are inadequate to meet the demand from the labour market, especially in the paddy production sector. In addition, the study findings lead to a number of critical policy options to reduce skills gaps by refining the curriculum and pedagogy to ensure it is more demand driven and by ensuring that a mechanism is created linking supply and demand. Critical policy options include the need for a clearer and more systemic occupational analysis of the skills needed in paddy production -- such as the analysis provided in the Developing A Curriculum (DACUM) approach in order to ensure that the TVET curriculum is in alignment with the demanded occupational skills. To enhance the scientific and technological foundation of TVET, a strong focus will be required on high-order literacy and numeracy skills. The study also suggests that to establish a “knock-on effect”, youth who obtain skills from TVET institutions also need to be provided with appropriate leadership training during their TVET programs in preparation for disseminating knowledge and skills to other farmers in the field and leading change in agricultural practice. The training system needs to be more closely linked with employers and work places where knowledge and skill can be utilised.

Existing research (Guarnizo et al. 2003; Portes, 2001; Cohen and Sirkeci, 2005) has endeavoured to clarify the relationship between migrants' transnational activities and their integration into the host society. Although there are both positive and negative perspectives on this relationship, it remains unclear whether migrants' transnational activities are likely to help or hinder their integration into the host society (Vertovec, 2009). This thesis uses the lens of social capital and diaspora identity to shed light on the relationship between Indonesian migrants' transnational activities and their integration in a multi-ethnic town in South Korea. The influx of migrants from various countries has led to the creation of what is called ‘Borderless Village', where people have opportunities to build intercultural connections beyond their national group. Based on ethnographic fieldwork with a group of Indonesian migrants, which themselves show social disjunctions in terms of region of origin, language, religious belief and cultural practices, this thesis examines the integration patterns of Indonesian immigrant groups in this town. In terms of whether transnational activities help or hinder integration in South Korea, I argue that both realities co-exist, and that the status of Wongok-Dong as a migrant enclave and the internally divided nature of the Indonesian migrant group itself are key factors in this regard. Indonesian migrants achieve integration among themselves by performing economic and socio-cultural transnational activities, thereby transcending divisions within the group. Although there are differences in terms of their capacity to conduct transnational activities that are shaped by each Indonesian immigrants' different types of social capital, they are able perform transnational activities through creating and utilising ‘hidden social capital'. This is generated when Indonesian migrants strategically reveal one of their identities, such as Indonesian, Muslim or other positions, rather than emphasising their regional origin in Indonesia to achieve their objectives such as pursuing economic profits, saving face and maintaining livelihood. Through mobilising these additional identities, most Indonesians can access resources that enable them to perform transnational activities – making international phone calls, occupying cultural spaces, participating in national celebrations – beyond their regional affiliations. In this regard, Indonesian migrants integrate into Wongok-Dong by performing transnational activities due to the features of the town as a migrant enclave. However, they are isolated from mainstream Korean society, as they only achieve integration into the multiethnic space of Wongok-Dong. Thus, this research adds crucial dimensions to theories of the relationship between migrants' transnational activities and integration into their host society through redefining both the features of the diaspora group and the role of social capital.

The main subject of this project is the international migration of the labour force. There are two questions which it responds to. The first one: Is it necessary for the Czech labour market to use the foreigners (immigrants) labour force? The second one: Is there a risk of abnormal work emigration and shortage of the Czech national labour force as a result of it? The first part of this project describes current situation at the Czech labour market, potential impacts of the shortage of the labour force and the main factors that are able to improve the situation at the labour market. There are particular analysis in the second part of this project. The object of them are the migration differences among EU countries as same as the imigration and emigration flows of the labour force. One marginalized but very important migration factor is mentioned in the part 8. This is related to differences in child benefits in EU countries. In the part 9 I realized my own empirical survey. It is concentrated on the work migration and migration motives in three various regions in the Czech republic. The result of this dissertation is: 1) The work imigration to the Czech republic is necessary and adequate. 2) The work emigration of the Czech labour force is marginal and not dangerous for the Czech firms and Czech labour market.

The main goal of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate the position of older workers in the european labour market in the context of population ageing. Global development, as well as the development in Europe, is assessed on the basis of the main demographic indicators. I try to evaluate the progress achieved in the period 2000-2009 after the summit in Lisbon. A separate chapter is devoted to demographic development and the situation of older workers in the Czech labour market.

Education is an important component of social and economic development and an essential factor that affects the classification of each individual in society. This diploma is focused on a connection of educational system and labour market. The theoretical part deals with educational system and the vision of educational policy which should reflect the social demands in the long term. The educational system is directly connected with the labour market. Graduates who come on the market to find their place are specific group. The supply is mainly based on achieved level of education and a field of study. Demand for their skills is not often in accordance with the offer and endangers their chances of success. The objective of the diploma is to analyse regional labour market of graduates in the district of Nymburk. The survey between students and pupils of high schools in the region was an unnecessary part of its work. This survey should have shown motives of choice of studied subject and approach of future graduates in terms of searching for a very first and further jobs in their career.

The fluctuations in the demand for construction work have often resulted in skills shortages. This has led to the need for effective construction labour market planning strategies, which enable the construction industry to meet its skills requirements, particularly in periods of peak demand. Existing approaches to construction labour market planning have several limitations. They do not shed light on the socio-economic and spatially influenced issues within which the industry's skills shortages are rooted. There is, therefore, a need for more appropriate decision-support mechanisms that can take account of spatial problems in terms of skills demand and supply influences. Through industry involvement, this research has explored how GIS can enhance the labour market planning process in construction. The research briefly reviews the nature of labour market planning in construction, introduces geographic information systems, and highlights the opportunities they offer for overcoming the limitations of existing approaches. The implementation of the GIS-based system and its application to a specific labour market planning initiative is then presented. The evaluation of the system by prospective end-users reveals the enablers, barriers and benefits of the system implementation. Organisational issues that had a bearing on the implementation are also examined and recommendations made for further research.

This thesis is comprised of a series of published papers relating to the evaluation of active assistance measures for the unemployed in Australia. It offers both applied evaluations of active assistance measures as well as critical assessment of the evaluation approaches that have dominated the literature and policy formation in Australia. "Active" assistance for the unemployed is distinguished from "passive" assistance, such as income support.The motivation behind the work lies in the fact that a very large amount of public expenditure is directed to active assistance for the unemployed. Over $2 billion dollars was spent on labour market programs at the height of the Working Nation package in each of 1995-96 and 1996-97, and $1.5 billion was allocated to "labour market assistance to jobseekers and industry" in the most recent (2001-02) Commonwealth budget. Despite this considerable past and ongoing expenditure, the evaluation effort in Australia has been far short of international best practice. As a consequence, there is no convincing empirical evidence as to how effectively these public resources are being used, or of the relative merits of various options in the design of active interventions for the unemployed.Ultimately, the goal of the research is to improve supply-side policies designed to address unemployment. As stated, it aims to do this through original empirical evaluations of programs and through critical assessment of existing evaluations and institutional arrangements.