How Junior Achievement Tanzania can be a solution to the workforce skills gap

PHOTO | JENNIFER MUIRURI Workers celebrate after President Uhuru Kenyatta ordered that minimum wage be increased by 14 per cent during the Labour Day celebrations in Nairobi on May 1, 2013.  NATION MEDIA GROUP

 By christian gaya. business times

The health of a nation is largely influenced by the make-up of the current and future workforce. The characteristics of the workforce impact productivity, the economy, and global competiveness. Many unemployed Tanzanians were initially laid off from their jobs because of an economic recession that forced a number of government and private companies to downsize to cut costs. As the economy recovers, former job positions are being replaced by those that require more technical skills or education.

Individuals who were forced to leave the job market are finding it very difficult to reenter the workforce because they no longer possess the knowledge and skills employers require. Furthermore, new entrants into the workforce also find themselves unprepared for the demand of entry level jobs that require higher-level skills.

As a result, employers are struggling to fill open positions. More than half of Tanzanian companies report a major challenge in recruiting non-managerial employees with the skills and knowledge needed, despite the fact that unemployment is hovering around more than 50 percent and millions of young individuals are looking for employment.

To remain competitive as a nation, the gap between the knowledge and skills needed by employers and the number of available workers who meet those qualifications must be addressed.

This “skills gap” is defined as “a significant gap between an organization’s current capabilities and the skills it needs to achieve its goals. It is the point at which an organization can no longer grow or remain competitive because it cannot fill critical jobs with employees who have the right knowledge, skills, and abilities.”

According to research, the most noticeable gaps are leadership and executive-level skills and this would probably be ranked as a number one closely followed by basic skills. Leadership and executive-level skills here include supervision, teambuilding, goal-setting, planning, motivation, decision making, and ethical judgment. Basic skills extend beyond basic academic skills such as reading, writing, math, etc. to include higher-order thinking skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, etc. and personal qualities which includes honesty, self-motivation, adaptability, etc.

Business leaders also report deficiencies in emotional intelligence, which includes skills such as self-discipline, self-awareness, persistence, and empathy. This substantiates findings that show a significant gap between the skills employers need and the skills of high school graduates. The knowledge and skills demanded by many employers today for entry-level jobs are also at a higher level than the skills students are acquiring in postsecondary education.

The “skills gap” exists in professions requiring higher-level skills, particularly careers in science, engineering, math, and technology and among jobs that are often referred to as “middle skilled” occupations that require credentials between a high school degree and a four-year college degree.

Jobs today require workers who possess more knowledge and proficiency in 21st-century skills, such as teamwork,

problem-solving, and technology skills. The use of digital

communications and advanced information systems has

enabled some employers to have more workers who perform their jobs remotely. This change has facilitated growth in part-time and contingent employment in many fields and the hiring of inexpensive, increasingly high-quality talent from other countries

The skills gap is expected to intensify with the gradual departure of the “baby boomers” from the workforce. While many older workers are postponing retirement for yet unknown reasons and it is still estimated that approximately several are expected to leave the workforce over the next two decades, resulting in an overall loss of expertise and management skills

The skills gap has yet not received considerable attention from policymakers and decision makers concerned that the Tanzania will no longer be able to effectively compete in the global marketplace and will require workers from other countries to fill the current gap. Probably to address the skills gap, the Tanzania as a country will be required to set a goal for the country to lead the East Africa member states in postsecondary educational attainment by the end of the decade a something which perhaps can be possible.

Various Corporations across the country should be taking steps to address the skills gap by investing significant resources into workplace learning and boosting the skills of their current workforce. This strategic focus is receiving attention from organizations such as for giving the BEST Awards to organizations that recognize enterprise-wide learning.

Winners of this award should be able to devote more resources to workplace learning (measured on a per-employee and percent-of-payroll basis), enroll employees in more formal learning, and are committed to measuring the learning to organizational performance.

In addition to the focus on workplace learning and boosting graduation rates, it is critical that policymakers, educators, and nonprofit organizations should on the other hand work together to ensure that the future workforce is adequately prepared with the knowledge and skills needed to meet the demands of employers. Junior Achievement Tanzania is uniquely positioned to serve as a partner in this endeavor by equipping students with the skills they need to be college-and career-ready.