The determinants of youth labor market integration in Cameroon: is family Socioeconomic-background more effective than education?

Background: The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of socioeconomic background and human capital on young people's labor market integration. A review of the literature suggests that in addition to human capital, other factors not directly related to individual productivity play an important role in labor market integration. Data Source & Method: The empirical work is based on the analysis of a firsthand biographical database from Bafia, a Cameroonian city. Results: Results show that young people from privileged background are more likely to swiftly enter the wage sector than their peers from disadvantaged background. Conclusion: This result is not only due to the fact that former received more education than the latter but also because of the existence of a sort of privileged birth-related premium not induced by the formal education level

The socioeconomic impact of rural-origin graduates working as healthcare professionals in South Africa

Background: Studies documenting the socioeconomic impact of education leading to employment of rural youth, specifically in the healthcare professions, are lacking. The Umthombo Youth Development Foundation (UYDF) is an NGO that provides financial support for rural students to train as healthcare professionals (HCPs) as a way of addressing staff shortages at rural hospitals. The aim of this study was to understand the social and economic impact on individuals and their families of qualifying as an HCP and being employed at a rural district hospital. Methodology: A mixed methodology was used to collect data from 40 graduates at eight district hospitals in rural KwaZulu-Natal province. The research tools had qualitative and quantitative questions, with additional data being extracted from the UYDF database. The qualitative data were analysed thematically, with STATA software being used for the quantitative analysis. Results: The findings indicate that graduate household assets increased significantly, as did their socioeconomic circumstances, compared with before they qualified as HCPs. Graduates attached high value to education that led to their employment, which provided them with money to afford assets. Having a permanent job and regular income also transformed their families' lives, as they were able to care for their siblings and extended family members. Conclusions: Training rural youth for employment in scarce skills that leads to employment, such as a career in the health sciences, boosts their socioeconomic circumstances and that of their families. This contributes to the staffing of rural hospitals, job creation and the economic development of the country