1. Compliance of Professional Activity of Engineers, Health Care and Education Professionals to Acquired Qualification: Latvia Inta Jaunzeme University of Latvia Zane Cunska BICEPS

2. Motivation Lack of professionals – three most acute profession fields: – Health care specialists; teachers (public services) – Engineers (Market oriented profession) In the context of: – Disbalanced economic development; structural changes – Demographic situation and forecasts – Recent national budget issues – salaries for physicians and teachers

3. Data Ministry of Welfare Labour market research projects (2006): – Compliance of HE programmes with requirements of labour market – Professional activities of graduates of HE and professional education institutions – Detailed study of the LF and the LM in sectors of national economy Data from professional associations and public agencies

4. Methods Quantitative methods – survey analysis with frequency tables, grouping, average comparison; general statistical information analysis Qualitative – focus-group interviews, publication analysis, expert interviews Sample of selected professions: – 608 education specialists – 350 health care and social welfare specialists – 442 engineers

5. Current situation - teachers Teachers missing: Riga – 130 (2008/2009), Latvia – 325 (2006/2007) (physics, mathematics, English language) 9% of teachers in pension age, 15% young teachers (up to 30 years) Low prestige Professional mobility away from education system

6. Current situation – medicine 30 physicians per 10 000 inhabitants (comparable to EU average) Lacking middle level medical personel (midwifes, sisters) High proportion of physicians in pre- pension/pension age Age<50 years51-61 years>62 yearsTotal Physicians3860213515857580 51% 28%21%100% Other medical personnel99563924158515465 64%25%10%100%

7. Current situation - engineers Lack of professionals recognized, but precise evaluation missing – Engineers with HE – Engineers-specialists with professional education Inappropriate economic environment Low cooperation between education institutions and labour market

8. Graduates by field of education (1997 and 2007)

9. Working in profession – all sample Connection of employment with the latest speciality acquired N=12386

10. Working in profession – selected professions Profession groupWork not connected to education Work connected to education Education specialists24%76% Health specialists24%76% Engineers39%61% Proportion of people working in profession connected and not connected to the education acquired N=1400

11. Not working in profession - reasons I Main reasons for physicians, teachers and engineers for not working in their acquired profession

12. Not working in profession - reasons II Period of graduationPer cent from graduates working in profession Insufficient professional training – main reason for not working in profession Before 199033.99.2 1991 - 199535.410.4 1996 - 200031.618.2 2001 - 200623.226.5 All sample Graduates working in profession – by period of graduation

13. Quality of education Self-assessment of education quality

14. Foreseen situation - 2013 ProfessionsProvision of labour market demands < 50% 2142 Building Engineer46% 2143 Electric Engineer46% 2222 Dentists32% 233 Preschool and elementary school teachers 32% 2340 Special education school teachers 45% 3119 Other specialists of physics and engineering 40% 3122 Computer engineering specialists39% 3225 Dentist assistants26% Source: estimated by experts of MoW Labour market research project No.5 Most acute lacking specialists in Latvia by 2013

15. Conclusions - teachers “Career steps” – 5 quality levels of teachers professional activities which contain teachers continuing education, salary system and work quality assessment Specifics of teacher education – wide range of competencies  flexibility in the labour market Effect of demographic situation  less teachers needed in the future?

16. Conclusions – health care specialists Age structure of medical workers – 15% of physicians in pension age (working), 26% in pre-pension age Competitive in international labour market  emigration Effect of demographic situation (ageing)  more health care required in the future

17. Conclusions - engineers Most of all selected professions were subject to structural changes in economy Market oriented profession Problems in the secondary education level – insufficient knowledge among school leavers in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology Insufficient availability of information about job possibilities Engineers – key to knowledge economy?

18. Thank you for your attention!