In the earlier discussions you had under Forecasting Manpower Requirements, you will recall that the Employers’ Opinion Method was regarded as the most commonly used method because it is the simplest.
The procedure adopted in its operation is quite similar to the issue at stake. The idea is that the enterprise should be carried along in the training of the manpower needed. You will recall that all labour enterprises require certain skills in quantity and quality. If they co-operate with the relevant training institutions, the latter will be able to plan for the production of the required skills. What we are saying is that, the employers of labour are expected to specify the kind of labour and the number needed within a specific time – say 2, 3 to 5 or more years. The aggregate opinions of the employers are summed up and subtracting educated deaths and envisaged losses over the given period. The mathematical operation then results in arriving at a forecast of the increase in effective demand for labour by the target year.
This information is expected to guide the training institutions (education) to plan and implement the requirements for manpower.
This is the essence for the co-operation between the employers of labour (who need the manpower) and education (responsible for the production of the manpower) needed. Higher education is to provide manpower in the industries and for the execution of national development plans.
If there is, however, discrepancy between the output of graduates in different specializations and the absorptive capacity of the labour market, it will lead to unemployment, underemployment and possibly to scarcity of certain types of graduates. It is to avoid this kind of employment problem that we are advocating for a kind of symbiotic relationship between the employers of labour and the education (that is responsible for manpower training).
SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE 3
Explain why there should be a symbiotic relationship between the employers of labour and manpower training.
4.0 CONCLUSION
It has been demonstrated in this unit that many developing nations are facing the problem of employment. Many of these countries have politicised the few vacancies existing and as we have seen, the output of higher institutions has even exceeded the available job opportunities.
There is no doubt that a lot of revolutions are taking place in the various establishments in order to comply with the needs of the modern economy.
The implication is that these new establishments or sectors of the economy demand for new skills to be able to absorb new entrants. Many of the job seekers are still finding it difficult to be accommodated because of the new skills demanded which they still lack, thus, further compounding the problems of unemployment. Various strategies are however being suggested to curb the rising unemployment. Scholars have started focussing attention on the ways of investing in education in developing countries considering the conflicts among social, economic and political factors.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, you must have observed the focus of the discussion which among others centred on why education is already overproducing the real manpower needs for development. Unfortunately, there is still the problem of educated unemployed; where the educated citizens cannot get jobs. Is the problem that of the economy or poor planning? Since the developing nations are still battling for development, there is need for
manpower planners to examine the problem of the nation so as to re-order its priorities. The government should also embark on strategies that would identify the socio-political and economic needs of the nation and then plan for the education of the citizens towards the acquisition of essential skills needed for the desired development. There is therefore the need for co-operation (a working relationship) between employers of labour and the education system to identify and produce the needed manpower.
6.0 TUTOR-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Identify the factors to be considered when projecting for manpower needs
2. Explain why there should be co-operation between the employers of labour and manpower training institutions.
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READINGS
Berg, I. (1970). Education and Jobs: The Great Training Robbery. New York: Praeger.
Coombs, P.H. (1968). The World Educational Crisis. London: Oxford University Press.
Harbison, F.H. (1962). “Human Resources Development Planning in Modernising Economies”. International Labour Review. Vol. 85, No. 5, May, 1963. Pp. 435-438, 440-441, 456-458.
Harbison, F. and Myers, C. (1963). Human Resources Education and Economic Growth. New York: McGraw Hill.
Harbison, F.H. (1967). Educational Planning and Human Resources Development. Paris: UNESCO/IIEP.
Harbison, F.H. (1968). “A Systems Analysis Approach to Human Resources Development Planning” In: Manpower Aspects of Educational Planning. Paris: UNESCO. Pp. 57-58, 59-64.
Harbison, F.H. (1984). “Approaches to Human Resource Development”
in Meier, G.M. (Ed), In: Leading Issues in Economic Development (4th Edition). New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Pp. 619-622.