Physical to virtual: challenges and opportunities for a neighbourhood-based employment support initiative

PurposeThis paper aims to explore challenges and opportunities of shifting from physical to virtual employment support delivery prompted by the Covid-19 pandemic. It investigates associated changes in the nature and balance of support and implications for beneficiary engagement with programmes and job search.Design/methodology/approachThe study draws on longitudinal interviews conducted with beneficiaries and delivery providers from a neighbourhood-based employment support initiative in an English region with a strong manufacturing heritage between 2019 and 2021. The initiative established prior to the Covid-19 pandemic involved a strong physical presence locally but switched to virtual delivery during Covid-19 lockdowns.FindingsMoving long-term to an entirely virtual model would likely benefit some beneficiaries closer to or already in employment. Conversely, others, particularly lone parents, those further from employment, some older people and those without computer/Internet access and/or digital skills are likely to struggle to navigate virtual systems. The study emphasises the importance of blending the benefits of virtual delivery with aspects of place-based physical support.Originality/valuePrevious studies of neighbourhood-based employment policies indicate the benefits of localised face-to-face support for transforming communities. These were conducted prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and the more widespread growth of virtual employment support. This study fills a gap regarding understanding the challenges and opportunities for different groups of beneficiaries when opportunities for physical encounters decline abruptly and support moves virtually.

The future of work in shaping the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities: a qualitative study

PurposeThe world of work is changing and creating challenges and opportunities for the employment inclusion of young people with disabilities. In this article, the perceptions held by young adults with disabilities regarding participation in the future of work are examined.Design/methodology/approachOne-on-one interviews were conducted with Canadian young adults (ages 18–36 years) living with a disability. Participants were asked about their thoughts regarding the impact of the changing nature of work on their labor market involvement and career aspirations. A thematic analysis was performed to identify and examine emergent salient themes.FindingsIn total, 22 young adults were interviewed;over half held secure employment. Career aspirations and work-related decisions were primarily shaped by a participant's health needs. The future of work was seen as a more proximal determinant to employment. Digital technologies were expected to impact working conditions and create barriers and facilitators to employment. Participants who indicated being securely employed held positive expectations regarding the impact of digital technology on their work. Participants working precariously held negative appraisals regarding the impact of digital technologies on employment opportunities. The role of technological and soft skills was critical to participating in a labor market reliant on advanced technology. Participants reported barriers to developing job skills related to their disability and their work arrangements.Originality/valueThis research highlights the importance of considering changes in the future of work, especially the digital transformation of the economy, in the design of initiatives which promote the employment inclusion of young adults with disabilities. Despite the significance of the changing nature of work, supporting health needs and encouraging access to secure work arrangements also remain paramount.

Crowd work in STEM‐related fields: A window of opportunity from a gender perspective?

After the Global Financial Crisis (2008) many people found new job opportunities on crowd platforms. The COVID‐19 crisis reinforced this trend and virtual work is expected to increase. Although the working conditions of individuals engaged on these platforms is an emerging topic, of research, the existing literature tends to overlook the gendered dimension of the gig economy. Following a quantitative approach, based on the statistical analysis of 444 profiles (platform Freelancer.com in Spain and Argentina), we examine the extent to which the gig economy reproduces gender inequalities such as the underrepresentation of women in STEM‐related tasks and the gender pay gap. While the findings reveal lower participation of women than men, this gap is not higher in Argentina than in Spain. Moreover, gender variations in hourly wages are not as marked as expected, and such differences disappear once STEM skill levels are controlled for. Asymmetry in individuals' STEM skill level provides a better explanation than gender of the hourly wage differences. This finding opens a window of opportunity to mitigate the classical gender discrimination that women face in technological fields in traditional labor markets. Finally, the paper identifies some issues concerning the methodological bias entailed by the use of an application programming interface in cyber‐research, when analyzing gender inequalities.

Sustainable Employment and Livelihoods for All

The coronavirus pandemic has not only caused unemployment and livelihood issues, among others, but also has exposed the (pre-pandemic) need for greater employment opportunities and working conditions, and social protection measures. This special issue on ‘Sustainable Employment and Livelihoods for All' discusses how in/formal workers' lives are impacted and calls for immediate policy reforms and innovative programs to salvage and prevent millions of people from further plunging into poverty.

Sustainability of artists and craft persons during COVID-19: a case study of Kalakriti creations

India is a land of unique culture bonded with unmatched art and crafts in every nook and corner. Apart from being one of the most important components of tourism, the handloom and handicraft sector makes a major contribution to employment generation. This case study helps the learner understand the application of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis on the hand-loom and handicraft industry and the efforts made by artisans and craft persons. It will also provide an opportunity for: (i) critical thinking regarding the opportunities and threats to the handicraft industry;and (ii) analytical thinking on promoting handicrafts as a product and how artisans survived during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with the help of their art and crafts.

Improving the social inclusion of people with disabilities in the remote workplace: Digital assistive technologies

Inclusive employment opportunities for individuals living with disabilities have been an ongoing issue in society, creating barriers and challenges for this community. Digital assistive technologies (DAT) are, and continue to be, helpful tools in aiding in this inclusivity, but they have not always been accessible to all. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, where online work became the "new normal", has bought this into sharp focus, giving individuals access and the ability to utilize different online tools that support individuals living with various disabilities in doing work. To better understand the current context concerning DATs and remote working for individuals living with disabilities, we conducted a scoping review in 2021/2022. We identified relevant papers that aided in identifying validated digital assistive technologies. Our study aims to continue supporting individuals living with disabilities to access the technology needed to join, or remain within, the workforce and work towards dismantling barriers that prevent this. © 2023 Owner/Author.

Prediction of Unemployment using Machine Learning Approach

Unemployment is a circumstance which arises when people above a specific age are not engaged in any kind of activities which contribute to the economic welfare of the individual and country. Unemployment is becoming a rising concern which is making the daily life of people difficult. Unemployment causes poverty and depression among the citizens. Nowadays there are different opportunities in different sectors. But people are not aware of those opportunities. Different states are there where there is a lack of skilled labour whereas many states are there that have skilled labour but less opportunities. Another reason for unemployment since 2020 is the COVID-19 pandemic. We have selected this topic to spread awareness among the citizens. This work attempts to detect the states of India which are in serious need of increasing employment opportunities. We have applied the concept of Supervised Machine Learning algorithms to detect the states with the lowest employment rate. The data visualization gives a better picture of the trends in unemployment rate over years. There has been a use of different popular algorithms like Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, K-nearest neighbors (kNN) Algorithm and Decision Tree. In the end we have tried to find the algorithm which is going to give us more accuracy so that necessary steps can be taken for the employment of the eligible and deserving people. © 2022 IEEE.

Local Manufacturing of Oilfield Chemicals- Mitigating Potential Future Disruptions While Supporting Local Content Program

Halliburton uses the term "local content" to describe programs to develop and use local resources in providing our services in that host country. Local content requirements vary by country, but commonly include providing employment opportunities to local citizens, procurement of goods and services from within the country, manufacturing and value addition through partnerships with and development of local entities, training programs to develop the technical skills of local individuals and businesses, and carry out research and development for finding indigenous alternates of imported materials. In almost all cases, local content requirements are mandated by the laws of the countries where we operate. Adhering to and improving local content is an important part of Halliburton's commitment to support the countries in which it operates and it also brings benefits for both Halliburton and local communities. In this paper, we share a case study of how Halliburton carried out the process of localizing chemical manufacturing in Saudi Arabia, the steps taken, and support extended in developing the local suppliers. Meeting local content requirements requires precise collaboration and communication between regional and country management teams, compliance with host country laws and regulations, adherence to Halliburton company policies, and meeting the quality standards the National Operating Company which is the end user in most cases. The methodology for achieving effective localization results started with setting the right strategy and putting challenging but achievable targets. This localization initiative exemplifies company efforts to create value in every aspect of the company's business through the In-Kingdom Total Value Add (iktva) program mandated by the national operating company in the country. Having a local source of manufacturing and supply chain mitigates any disruptions like the one we saw during COVID 19 whereby the movement across borders was partially closed and supply chain globally was disrupted. Any local souring effectively diminishes the impact of any such disruptions. This initiative considered more than 50 Halliburton commercial chemical products and resulted in more than 10 successful replacements. Halliburton was able to export three products to company's operations outside Saudi Arabia. Partnering with Saudi Aramco, chamber of commerce and local manufacturers and suppliers in this program will drive additional domestic value creation to support a rapidly changing economic environment and foster future prosperity. Copyright © 2022, International Petroleum Technology Conference.

The Measurement of Precarious Work and Market Conditions: Insights from the COVID-19 Disruption on Sample Selection

The precarious work construct combines employment instability and employment-contingent outcomes. Yet, I argue that confining the scope of the investigation to employed individuals creates a sample selection that disguises the heterogeneous nature of employment instability. The COVID-19 skyrocketing unemployment rate provides both a compelling motivation and a unique opportunity to revisit the construct of precarious work. Using pre-COVID and COVID-19 era data of the working-age population in Israel, the results demonstrate that by pushing less stable individuals out of employment, the COVID-19 recession strengthened the negative relationship between volatility and employment opportunities and accentuated sample selection. Because the selection into employment was not random, this introduces a bias into the measurement of precarious work, one that is more severe during a recession than in a full-employment market. The discussion highlights the broader significance of this lacuna and suggests a way to hone the conceptualization and operationalization of the precarious work construct.

'Linguist' or 'Global Graduate'? A Matter of Identity for the Global Graduate with Language Skills

In this chapter, I examine the problematic issue of identifying as a 'linguist' for graduates who have studied languages, in an employability context. I challenge them to reframe their identity as 'global graduates', with reference to the competencies outlined in the "Global Graduates into Global Leaders" report (NCUB, 2011). In the process, I also demonstrate why a truly global graduate needs also to be a linguist, in spite of the hegemony of English as a global "lingua franca," and in the context of Brexit. I provide a framework for use by students, with support from educators, to translate their skill sets and experiences into the language of employers. I hope that this will provide a clear guide to the importance not just of developing, but also articulating cogently a range of competencies which are transferable to the global economy and global society, and a convincing argument for the importance of language and intercultural skills within that portfolio. [For the complete volume, "Languages at Work, Competent Multilinguals and the Pedagogical Challenges of COVID-19," see ED612070.]

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on First-Generation, Low-Income and Rural Students in Indonesia and Vietnam: A Cross-Cultural Comparative Study

Comparative studies around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic are still limited. This paper explores the question: how has the COVID-19 pandemic affected higher education students, and which ones have been most impacted? Indonesia and Vietnam are our focus. We leveraged a rich set of data collected online from both countries (n = 2600). We used regression analyses to measure students' wellbeing, financial hardships, access to technology, and educational satisfaction. As expected, we found statistically significant differences between both countries except for the wellbeing domain. For within-country comparison, consistent for both countries, low-income students were less likely to access technology and were more likely to experience financial distress than their counterparts. Indonesian first-gen students also showed a similar trend. Lastly, we observed a lower likelihood of satisfaction from rural and low-income students in Indonesia for their education during the pandemic. We provide our policy recommendations for both countries. [This manuscript accompanied a conference presentation at the 50th Annual Conference of Mid-South Education Research Association (MSERA) in New Orleans, Louisiana (November 9-12, 2021).]

Conditions Fostering International Graduate Students' Happiness and Engagement during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper focuses on eight conditions that kept international master's students (IMS) in a Southern Ontario university happy and engaged in their studies during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the first phase of the Appreciative Inquiry's (AI) 4-D cycle--i.e., discovery--this doctoral study conducted 14 individual interviews and three focus group discussions to identify conditions that made the IMS students happier and more engaged despite pandemic-related challenges. The study is crucial in advancing positive experiences of IMS because existing literature has focused primarily on their challenges and problems. The study's use of AI, a strength-based theoretical and methodological approach, suggests the need to highlight the quality experiences of this minoritized group. Data revealed specific factors that brought about happiness and boosted IMS engagement in their studies, namely: financial and emotional support from family, responsive instructors, employment opportunities during the pandemic, and learning and engaging in extracurricular activities with colleagues and friends. Other conditions also proved crucial to participants' happiness and engagement in their studies, including: professionalism of non-teaching staff, the institution's learning management system and supporting online platforms, virtual access to campus software and other learning resources, and reduced travel time. Study findings aim to inform international student policy and enrich the international student experience literature.

Social Intelligence as a Tool for Human Performance Optimization During Post COVID 19: A Review

Optimization of human performance today is the key ingredient to success when there is a huge downfall in economy due to novel corona virus. Life has become a struggle for continued existence, especially during the times of pandemic. In such conditions, people who are going out for work are more vulnerable. Scarceness of fund, illness, poverty, and pitiable employment opportunities is mainly for the people in the mounting pandemic times. As many employees are often trying to cope up with their health, economic, social, and psychological issues, intelligence comes in their way when they are dealing with the people and working hard in an organization. Social intelligence plays a significant role in their life, in getting along well with others. Hence, the review was done to see if social intelligence works as a tool for human performance optimization, especially for people who are going out and serving others. The secondary data indicate that employee's performance and social intelligence have a positive relationship. Proper optimization of human performance was seen in people with high social intelligence. Further, studies also indicated that social intelligence enhanced motivation and created values in employees which in turn helped in human performance optimization. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Impact of human capital and social capital on employability of Chinese college students under COVID-19 epidemic-Joint moderating effects of perception reduction of employment opportunities and future career clarity.

This research constructed a relationship model between human capital, social capital, and the employability of college students. With two moderating variables introduced, the perception reduction of employment opportunities under the COVID-19 epidemic and future career clarity, this research studied the direct impact of human capital and social capital on the employability of college students and boundary conditions. Research data from 810 employed Chinese college graduates shows that both human capital and social capital have a positive and significant impact on the employability; the perception reduction of employment opportunities under the COVID-19 epidemic negatively regulates the relationship between human capital and the employability of college students; the future career clarity positively regulates the relationship between human capital and the employability of college students; the perception reduction of employment opportunities under COVID-19 epidemic and the future career clarity jointly regulate the relationship between human capital, social capital and the employability of college students. These conclusions enrich the relevant theoretical and practical research on the employability of college students under the COVID-19 epidemic.

Prospects for the textile and clothing industry in India

India ranks as the world’s second largest producer of textiles and clothing after China, and is the sixth largest exporter of textiles and clothing in international markets. Its textile and clothing industry is long established, extensive and wide ranging, and the industry fulfils a vital role in India’s economy—not least in terms of employment opportunities and export earnings. Moreover, it remains one of the country’s most important industrial sectors, even though the Indian economy is expanding rapidly and shifting impressively towards high-tech manufacturing and service sectors. In fact, the textile and clothing industry continues to represent India’s largest manufacturing activity, and in 2021/22 it accounted for about 7% of the country’s industrial production, 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) and 10% of its national export earnings. Also, the industry provides direct employment for around 45 mn people, many of them females. In addition, an estimated 100 mn people are employed in indirect activities—notably in the agricultural sector. The importance of the textile and clothing industry to India’s economy is recognised by the Indian government in its provision of substantial assistance and support. The textile and clothing industry also benefits from India’s huge domestic market, reflecting the fact that the country has a population of 1.39 bn people. Furthermore, this market is growing. Admittedly, the value of the market fell in 2020/21 alone, from US$106 bn to US$75 bn, reflecting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But by 2025/26 it is forecast to increase to US$190 bn, in line with growing prosperity and a continuously growing population. © Textiles Intelligence Limited 2022.

Employment Opportunities and Income Analysis before and during Covid-19: Indirect Least Square Approach

This study aims to analyze the relationship between employment opportunities and income before and during COVID-19. The research data collection is divided into two time periods, including January to March 2020 which is the period before COVID-19, while April to June 2020 is the period of during COVID-19. Each time period in this study analyzed 100 samples measured using a Likert scale. The method used in this research is simultaneous equation analysis with the Indirect Least Squares (ILS) approach. An important finding in this study for the period before and during COVID-19 is that employment opportunities are positively and significantly affected by infrastructure, economic conditions, government incentives and price stability. Meanwhile, income is positively and significantly influenced by employment opportunities, economic conditions, government incentives and price stability. Although the results of the research are the same for different time periods, based on the results of comparisons there has been a decrease in the contribution to employment and income during COVID-19. This study recommends that the government needs to maintain the stability of the indicators of employment opportunities and income used in this study so that turnover and community income do not decrease, especially during the COVID-19 period.

Canadian Jobs amid a Pandemic: Examining the Relationship between Professional Industry and Salary to Regional Key Performance Indicators

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to un-precedented rates of unemployment and greater uncertainty in the job market. There is a growing need for data-driven tools and analyses to better inform the public on trends within the job market. In particular, obtaining a 'snapshot' of available employment opportunities mid-pandemic promises insights to inform policy and support retraining programs. In this work, we combine data scraped from the Canadian Job Bank and Numbeo globally crowd-sourced repository to explore the relationship between job postings during a global pandemic and Key Performance Indicators (e.g. quality of life [QOL] index, cost of living) for major cities across Canada. This analysis aims to help Canadians make informed career decisions, collect a 'snapshot' of the Canadian employment opportunities amid a pandemic, and inform job seekers in identifying the correct fit between the desired lifestyle of a city and their career. We collected a new high-quality dataset of job postings from jobbank.gc.ca obtained with the use of ethical web scraping and performed exploratory data analysis on this dataset to identify job opportunity trends. When optimizing for average salary of job openings with QOL, affordability, cost of living, and traffic indices, it was found that Edmonton, AB consistently scores higher than the mean, and is therefore an attractive place to move. Furthermore, we identified optimal provinces to relocate to with respect to individual skill levels. It was determined that Ajax, Marathon, and Chapleau, ON are each attractive cities for IT professionals, construction workers, and healthcare workers respectively when maximizing average salary. Finally, we publicly release our scraped dataset as a mid-pandemic snapshot of Canadian employment opportunities and present a public web application that provides an interactive visual interface that summarizes our findings for the general public and the broader research community. © 2022 IEEE.

Examining the relationship between job insecurity, organizational commitment and turnover intention in the COVID-19 process

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many sectors have begun to be affected. The tourism sector is one such sector and has been heavily affected by restrictions on international movement of. Affected by this situation, hotels have decided to close their doors or have adopted a limited-service approach. For this reason, tourism employees have become unable to see their way in an uncertain process and have encountered different practices such as hourly paid work, being sent on unpaid leave, and being given a short-term employment allowance. The reflections of this negative impact on the employees are a matter of curiosity. In this context, this study aims to reveal the relationship between job insecurity, organizational commitment, and turnover intention in five-star hotels during the COVID-19. To enable this, data were collected using a questionnaire. The study results support the conceptual model that includes the variables of job insecurity, organizational commitment, turnover intention and organizational response to COVID-19. Organizational Response to COVID-19 was found to have a negative and significant effect on job insecurity and also to have a positive and significant effect on organizational commitment. Job insecurity has a negative and significant effect on organizational commitment. Organizational commitment has a negative and significant effect on turnover intention and job insecurity was found to have a positive and significant effect on turnover intention.

Determining factors in graduate recruitment and preparing students for success

Purpose This study aims to investigate graduate employer perceptions of determining factors in recruitment decisions and their preferred use of recruitment channels. This study drew on the employability capitals model to interpret findings and identify ways to better prepare higher education students for recruitment and selection. This is particularly important in declining graduate labour markets, further weakened by COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach This study gathered data from surveying 183 Australian employers from different organisational settings. Responses were analysed using descriptive and multivariate techniques, the latter exploring variations by role type, sector and organisation size. Findings Findings reaffirmed the criticality of students having the right disposition and demonstrating professional capabilities during recruitment, highlighting the value of building cultural and human capital during university years. Recruitment channels that require students to mobilise their identity and social capital were prioritised, particularly among private sector organisations. Work-based internships/placements were considered important for identifying graduate talent and developing strong industry-educator partnerships, needed for building networks between students and employers. Originality/value This study provides valuable insights into determinants of graduate recruitment decision-making from the employer perspective. These highlight to students the important role of capitals, and how they can be developed to optimise recruitment success. This study presents practical strategies for universities to build their students' human, social, cultural and identity capital. Findings on the prioritisation of recruitment channels among graduate employers from different sectors will enable students and universities to better prepare for future recruitment. It emphasises that student engagement with employability-related activities is a critical resource for an effective transition to the workplace.

Celebrating World Tourism Day 2021 focus on inclusive growth

This article looks at the theme adopted by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the 2021 World Tourism Day, which is "Tourism for inclusive growth". Inclusive growth primarily entails economic growth that creates employment opportunities by scaling up and bolstering different sectors of tourism which in turn helps in reducing gap between the rich and the poor and reduces poverty through forward and backward linkages. Also discussed are the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the prospects of the tourism sector to bounce back.